In Your Pixels
by CandleHeadButt
Summary: An AU continuation to Blissland! Ralph, Felix, and Calhoun have to make due with the Blissed forms for the time being but Calhoun seems to be taking it the hardest as she has been Blissed into a NICELANDER. Can the former marine adjust or will she require some help from the other residence of Fix-it-Felix Jr?
1. Chapter 1- New Forms

Chapter One – New Forms

 _The Bliss was only supposed to be temporary, that's the way it always goes._

 _But this the vampire king decided to go a different route, he decided to play things a bit differently_

* * *

"Ow, these things are hard ta get out…." Ralph cringed as he attempted to pull one of the hair-ties from his thick locks.

HE?

Not in this case.

Ralph and Felix were still under the spell of the Bliss, the HEROES now turned into HEROINES. It was bad enough that only hours before they had to deal with the Nicelanders who, in their own Blissed forms, had turned the arcade upside down but to deal with this?

This was stretching it a bit!

"It's not that bad…." Felix sighed, looking down at the name-tag on his shirt "I mean, at least we're still HUMAN so that's a plus!"

 _Felicia._

The now-turned repairwoman had to snicker, thinking to the OTHER Felicia who walked the arcade.

"I wonder what SHE would hafta say to this, eh Roxie?"

"ROXIE? Is that what you're gonna call me from now on?" snorted the wrecker, a cloud of steam coming from her nose. Felicia didn't move an inch; in fact she was smiling more than ever.

"Pfft! Oh heavens, tha look on your face!" she laughed "Of all the times NOT ta have a camera around!"

"Yeah, laugh it up smarty-pants…." The huge woman pouted "But what are we gonna do once the arcade opens?"

"What do ya mean?"

"What do I mean? It's not like we can hide this!" shouted Roxie "I mean look at us! Tha players are gonna know SOMETHIN' is up once we show up in skirts!"

"Uh, have ya ever considered that ya could just put on your normal clothes? That's what I'm gonna do." FELICIA said "Sides….I really don't look that much different do I?"

"Ya look like someone hyped up tha tint levels on all your colors…." Roxie grumbled "An' at least ya don't have PAINTED NAILS! I've ben tryin' ta scrape this gunk with everythin' I got an' it won't come off!"

"I think RUBY is a good color on ya." Felicia joked, enjoying the complains from the Wrecker "Or…would _**SALMON**_ be a better shade?"

"Do ya wanna be thrown, MISS Fix-It?"

"I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS!"

An ear-shattering SHOUT blasted through the apartments followed by the sound of running feet. The two women looked about, searching for the source of such commotion.

"Who in tha world was-?!"

"Young lady, come back here!"

"Ms. Mary?" Roxie said, looking this way and that but as she turned her head down the hall that's when the wrecker saw it.

A small Nicelander in powder-blue tearing for her life with a few of the other Nicelanders gunning after her, Mary and Gene taking the lead of the bunch.

"No, no, no! I wanna find that vampire, kick his butt in an' THEN-!"

"This is not the time to behave in such a manner, missy!" Gene shouted as he tried to catch the escaping Nicelander "Get back here before-!"

"You'll have ta catch me first!" the unknown Nicelander said but Mary jumped forth, finally catching her.

"Got you!"

"Aurgh, lemme go!"

"Not until you settle down!" frowned Mary, the other Nicelander surprised by just how strong Mary was in this particular situation "You are in no condition to fight ANYONE, you hear?!"

"Just watch me!" the other Nicelander said, her cheeks puffed out and her squeaky voice doing their best to make the character look as non-threatening as possible "He thinks turning me into THIS is funny?! I'll-!"

"Tammy!"

Tammy?

As in TAMERA?

It couldn't be!

The Nicelander squeaked, turning to see the taller repairwoman running up to her.

"Ungh, not you too!" said the Nicelander as Felicia approached her "It's bad enough that EVERY Nicelander here is tryin' ta hold me back!"

"Hold you back?!" scoffed Gene, offended by the comment "Young lady, I just don't want you running into trouble that's all!"

"Trouble? TROUBLE?!" shouted the Nicelander, marching right up to Gene's face as she tapped her fingers hard on his chest "Ya wanna talk TROUBLE? Shall we go over tha things YA guys did when ya were Blissed?!"

The leader of the Nicelanders blushed furiously, Calhoun catching him in the act.

"W-Well, y-you can't say Mary and I didn't ATTEMPT to bring everyone back! _**I**_ for one wanted everyone to stay here! Don't blame me for what happened to YOU!"

"That is bull-crap an' ya know it, Gene."

"Sides, can ya really blame us for bein' a lil curious?" smirked Lucy, putting her arms behind her head "I mean, ya give tha lotta us human bodies. What do ya expect us ta do, Calhoun? Sit down?"

"YES!" blasted Calhoun, stamping her feet on the ground in her fury but instead she ended up looking like a child throwing a tantrum "Ya guys are no better than CHILDREN! All ya had ta do was sit your squishy butts down an' none of this would have happened!"

"Squishy butts?" chortled the youngest Nicelander as she moved closer to Calhoun, tapping her little button nose "Heh, takes one ta know one now eh?"

Calhoun narrowed her eyes "I'm startin' ta see why Don throws ya in closets."

"THANK YOU!" Don cried from his apartment.

"Tammy, ya know better than ta behave like this…." Sighed Felicia, shaking her head "Sides, Lucy is just baitin' ya like she does with EVERYONE. Just calm down sweetie."

"Don't ya DARE tell me ta CALM DOWN, Fix-It! LOOK AT ME!"

"Yes, I am lookin'…."

"AN-!"

"An' what?"

Calhoun found she could say nothing, Felicia staring down at her.

It didn't matter what form her love took, Felix could still give her 'THE LOOK' and she found herself unable to respond and now that he had been made twenty percent more adorable his, rather HER, eyes cut through Calhoun like a red-hot knife through butter. Her heart had been stabbed by the cute and she could not recover!

"GAAAAAH!"

"Heheh, I could watch these two all day…." Giggled Lucy but Deanna took the girl by her shoulder, waving a finger towards her.

"Lucile, we talked about this before."

"Aw, but Dee-Dee!"

"B-But what about work?!" the marine-turned Nicelander protested "Ya guys are goin' out but not me?! Who's gonna cover!"

"We already called your game and' Mousie said she would cover for ya." The repairwoman said "But til all of this over, you're not steppin' an inch near HD ya hear? It's too dangerous!"

"Too dangerous?"

Calhoun could not have been any more embarrassed; if only everyone could see her now.

No, scratch that.

She didn't want ANYONE to see her!

She growled in anger taking a look at her form again.

Tiny hands, chubby arms.

CHUBBY EVERYTHING.

Demitri really knew how to hit his Bliss victims hard but even though Calhoun was not the only victim of his in the apartment, her reaction to her transformation was certainly the worst of the trio.

"I'mma kill that vampire…." The marine hissed through her teeth "Then I'm gonna wait till her respawns an' then I'mma kill him again!"

"Dear, I don't think ya have ta take things THAT far." Said Felicia.

"Yeah, ONE shot ta tha head should be good enough!" nodded Roxie, agreeing with Calhoun's sentiments for a change.

"Don't ya dare encourage her!"

"OUTTA MAH WAY!" blasted the Nicelander marine as she made her way towards her weapons "It won't take that long an' sides! Ol' Dimmy is used ta bein' dead, ain't he?!"

"Oh, don't even think about shootin' anyone, ma'am! This is an APARTMENT! Not a FIRING RANGE!" ordered Gene but he missed his chance to grab the tiny woman.

"Just watch me!" the Nicelander said as she ran over, or better yet TODDLED, over to her guns. Her tiny hands grabbed the holster but much to her dread she found they were not as LIGHT as she was used to.

"H-Hey!"

"Tammy, stop!"

"N-NO!" the Nicelander shouted again, trying with all her might to lift the massive gun but no matter how much she struggled, no matter how much power she used she couldn't balance the thing "S-See, I still have it! I STILL-!"

Barefoot on the wooden floors, Calhoun could feel her balance shifting but she didn't know why!

Wait.

Nicelander anatomy!

IT HAD STRUCK!

Calhoun felt her body lean one way but then go the next and before she knew it, she fell over backwards, her gun landing hard next to her only to SHOOT off a round as it did so.

"LOOK OUT!" shouted Meg, throwing herself and Pearl to the ground just as the blast shoot through the wall, going right through Norwood's apartment, a few of his cats yowling loudly as they seemingly POURED though the wall.

"'OI!" shouted the man, poking his head through the massive hole "I know this place gets wrecked often but do ya guys hafta shoot at us too?!"

"Nnn, I can't get up!" Calhoun cried, stuck helplessly on her back as her arms and legs flailed in the air "S-Someone HELP ME!"

Yeah, this was DEFINITELY something she didn't want her crew to see.

"Here, I got you." Mary said as she walked over to the downed Nicelander, taking her by the hand and lifting her back onto her feet but Calhoun still found she could not balance. She weebled and wobbled even as she was set right-side up, her egg-like body feeling as if it were moving on its own.

"A-a-ai!" she whimpered, hands held out and waving to find some sort of balance "D-Don't let me f-fall again!"

"I won't!" said Felicia catching her love before she fell on her bottom again. The repairwoman set the Nicelander back up, letting out a breath "See? THIS is why I didn't want ya carryin' your guns around…."

The little blond woman could say nothing, feeling as if her soul were drifting from her. How things had changed on her during the night. She had gone from one of the strongest, one of the toughest characters in the arcade to….

To….

 _To one of the weakest?_

Her gun still lay on the floor next to her, the barrel still hot but it lay there as if it were taunting her, reminding her that she could no longer carry it, no longer use it. She was no longer a marine.

Now she was a Nicelander.

" _Nicelander….CALHOUN?"_ the little blond whimpered, her big fat cheeks going red at the thought "N-Nicelander Calhoun?!"

Nicelander Calhoun indeed.

"Th-this is a DISASTER!"

"Tammy?"

"I-I gotta do somethin'!" the little woman stammered "G-Guns or no guns! I just can't sit here!"

"Cool it, cool it!" said Felicia "Look, I know this is worrying but you're gonna send yourself in a tizzy!"

"Worryin' was five minutes AFTER we turned into this, FELIX!" Calhoun said, addressing her husband by his proper name "Member what happened when we sat on the whole Genezilla issue?! 'MEMBER THAT?!"

Gene's head turned to the side, a forced smile on his face "YES. YES, let's bring THAT glorious situation up, shall we?"

"Oh, yeah! We thought things were gonna be fine with that but what happened?! HE GETS TO FIFTY FEET TALL AND THEN MEH-MEH-MEH-MEH-BLEEB-BLEEP!"

"Tammy?"

Gene rolled his eyes, his hands slipping into his pocket "It begins…"

"MEH MEH MEH MEH HEBLEE BLEE BLEE!"

"Tamera, button it!" shouted the repairwoman, taking the Nicelander by the sides.

Calhoun slammed her hands on her mouth as the long string of high-pitch babbling escaped her mouth, the woman not even realizing what was going on.

"What….was THAT?!"

"Say hello ta your first look into the Nicelander language." said Deanna "It usually happens when we get panicked."

" _ **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURGH!"**_

"She's takin' ta this about as well I would have thought…." Said Gene, huffing but Mary reached over and pinched his cheek.

"Dear, this is not the time! Give the girl some sympathy, she can't help any of this!"

"Oh, don't act as if I'm antagonizing her because I am NOT! I just wish she wouldn't act as if being a Nicelander were the worst thing to be in the arcade" the Mayor sniffed, adjusting his tie. He then took another look at Calhoun, her expression speaking more than words.

" _Then again….."_

Exhausted, Calhoun could do nothing more than take the fate that she had been dealt. She was a marine, she could stand up to it.

Well, she WAS a marine.

"Tammy…."

The woman looked up, Felicia showing such concern on her face "H-Honey?"

"Look, I know ya wanna get back ta your normal form…" the repairwoman began "But can it wait until AFTER the arcade closes?"

"WHY?!"

"Because I wanna be there with ya when we have a chat with Mr.I-Feel-Like-Blissin'-Everythin'-That-Moves!" Felicia replied with surprisingly forceful tone "Ya know how busy tha arcade can get an' with ya in this condition-!"

After everything that had transpired, the group saw the worry forming on the woman's face.

"I just don't want anythin' ta happen ta ya, Honey-Babe."

Calhoun crossed her arms against her chest, her cheeks blushing deeply "A-Are ya tryin' ta imply I can't take care of myself in this form?"

After what had happened with the gun?

"No. I'm not sayin' ya can't but I still wanna make sure you're safe, okay?"

"But babe-!"

Before Calhoun could reply, Felicia stooped down and swept the tiny woman into her arms, holding her so tight and close.

"Tammy, listen ta me!"

"Ah-!" cried the woman but as she struggled to fight back she stopped. She could feel Felicia's heartbeat, hear it racing with fear and concern.

Concern over her.

" _F-Felix?"_

"I-I know ya do a lotta things for me, but please. Just this once can ya stay put? Maybe relax a bit?"

Calhoun looked at the ground, feeling the crushing wall of guilt coming down upon her. Had it been anyone else, Calhoun would have found a way to escape but this was her HUSBAND. He knew the risk he was in going out in such a form but he was far more concerned with HER wellbeing at the moment, Calhoun only imagining how panicked the repairman actually was on the inside.

She knew she couldn't do it.

She couldn't upset the person she loved.

"Oooh…..fine." Calhoun huffed, pushing Felicia's face away "B-But what am I supposed ta do while I 'relax'?"

Roxie blinked "Uh, were ya bein' SERIOUS with that question?"

"No, I really mean it!" said the former marine "I know ya want me ta relax but-! But I don't wanna feel USELESS!"

Gene felt the hair on the back of his neck rise "DEAR. I can assure you we are not USE-!"

"Young lady, its fine!" said Mary as she jumped in, preventing the Mayor from speaking out of term "This is your HOME so-!"

"No, I mean it, ma'am! I'll go NUTS if I don't do somethin'!"

Mary and Felicia exchanged looks, Calhoun peering over at both.

"Well…."

"Well, what?"

"Do you think…." Mary said as she looked at the gender-swapped heroes "Do you think, just this once, that Calhoun can hand out pies?"

Gene blanched "Really?!"

Felicia looked over at her wife "Wait, ya want Tammy ta hand out pies?"

"My thoughts EXACTLY!"

The little blond Nicelander nodded her head, a determined look on her face "Yes! Yes, if it'll help!"

"Okay….but remember, you're tha one who agreed on this." Said Felix "I know it might look easy, but-!"

"Felix-! Felicia…Honey, don't worry about it! I think handin' out pies will be pretty easy!"

The other Nicelander said nothing, turning their heads and folding their hands together.

If only Calhoun had noticed the looks on their faces.

" _Gene, don't you DARE say anything to that!"_

" _Why would you assume I'd say a word, DEAR MARY?"_

"Good." Smiled Felicia "An' once this is over, I promise ya'll we'll go see Demitri! Cross my hammer!"

"Fine…" said the little Nicelander "But…."

"Yeah?"

Calhoun looked down at herself again, shaking her head.

"If I'm gonna work here can ya at least get me inta somethin' that looks….DECENT? This dress looks AWFUL!"

"'Bout time someone agreed with that sentiment!" said Nel, Calhoun jumping back a bit "What does that vampire think we are? We have much better fashion sense than THIS!"

Nel took a hold of the skirt, frowning.

"Urgh, just like people here! They think just because we're OLD-SCHOOL we have NO TASTE! Maybe I should join ya in kickin' his butt for makin' ya prance around in this!"

"Um, Nel?"

"C'mon, Tammy!" the little Nicelander said as she took Calhoun by her hand and lead her away "I'll get ya somethin' decent that'll even make your boys turn their heads!"

"Hey, SHE'S MARRIED NEL!" cried Felicia "D-Don't go too far with her now!"

Nel turned and stuck her tongue out "Oh, repairman of lil faith! You'll be singin' a different tune once I'm done!"

Calhoun turned back towards Felicia, having never shown a look of fear on her face before _"Deeear?"_

And then the lot were gone, leaving only the hero and bad-girl in the hall. Roxie said nothing, her hands behind her back as a small tune was whistled.

"So…."

Felicia looked up "Yes?"

"Hmph…" The wrecker said, rolling her eyes "How long till the fireworks begin?"

Felicia looked at her watch "Hmmmm….first quarter drop. Five minutes in. I betcha."


	2. Chapter 2- Sizing Up

Chapter Two- Sizing Up

As Calhoun was being lead down the halls of the apartment, she looked up and took notice of how DIFFERENT things were starting to look around her. The marine was so used to everything looking so small, feeling so tight in the apartments but now that she had been shrunken down to the size of the occupants….

" _Wow…."_

Suddenly things felt a lot bigger.

She was the exact size of a standard Nicelander as such the apartments felt much easier to maneuver around but it was such a sudden and strange feeling.

"C'mon…" smiled Nel as she lead the woman to the elevator "I think I might have something just right for ya!"

"Oh, you think so?" Calhoun said, still getting used to her voice sounding so strange as a Nicelander "Um…I don't mean ta be rude but…"

Nel looked over, noticing the glance that Calhoun was giving her "Yeah?"

"Um, I'm not particular into….well….."

How could Calhoun make a comment without offending the woman?

"Er, I don't know if you're have anythin' in your closet that'll go with me." The former marine grimaced "I mean-!"

Without warning, Nel erupted into laughter, Calhoun jolting a bit as she was much closer to Nel than normal to see it.

"Heh, ya can dance around it!" Nel said, a little twinkle in her eye "But I know what you're tryin' to say!"

"Y-Ya do?"

"'Meeeeh! I dun like lace or girly things! I'm too tough!' Are you really THAT worried about how you're gonna look in _Le Chic Nicelander_?" Nel chortled, flipping her little wrist "Picky, picky, PICKY you are Ms. Calhoun!"

The blond Nicelander crossed her arms against her chest "Hmmph! Steady there solider! Just because I'm a Nicelander now doesn't mean ya can play with me like this! I'm bein' serious!"

"Stop bein' so serious then." Nel said, her voice sounding much softer but a lot more reassuring "Gimmie a couple threads an' such an' I'm sure I can change your mind!"

*DING!*

The elevator arrived at the top floor, Nel not wasting a beat as she pulled Calhoun to her apartment. Calhoun was greeted by a WAVE of clothing, the woman once again remembering how much the smallest Nicelander worked her way through anything fashion-related.

"O-Oh right…" the marine-turned-Nicelander said "Y-Ya did work on my dress, didn't cha?"

"An' I'm gonna work on a NEW dress for ya NOW!" Nel beamed, going for her sewing equipment.

"Now?" asked Calhoun "I know you're fast with your fingers but how can ya put somethin' together n-?"

"Shh, shh, shhhhh…." Nel cooed, moving closer to Calhoun, embracing her by the shoulder "Lemme think. Lemme vision. I can see it all right now!"

The little Nicelander in purple looked Calhoun up and down, eyes looking there, a finger pointing there.

"Hold still."

"O-oh?"

Nel took out her measuring tape, making sure she had each curve of the marine-turned-Nicelander covered.

"Hmmm, you're a bit on the tall side…." The woman smiled "But you're like Pearl. Ya both have kind of athletic builds!"

Nicelanders had ATHLETIC builds?

"Um, is this all necessary?" asked the little Nicelander "I-I mean….I think a simple dress would suffice…."

Calhoun could see Nel's brow twitch, "Heh, I know we all look like we're the same size but trust me. We do differ in more than just color, young lady."

The other Nicelander felt herself blushing again but she smiled, if only but a little "I-I should have figured ya have an eye for such details. W-What ya did with my dress an' all."

"Clothing might have been a programmed 'hobby' of mine but I made certain to strength it over the years." Nel said, her voice sounding so soft and warm as she talked to Calhoun "When you're someone who loves creating as much as I do but you're not the, how can I put this? The correct SHAPE as many of changing fashions in this place, ya learn to improvise."

Nel got up and walked to her room, Calhoun seeing a swagger in the woman's step as she did so.

"Heh, why do ya think that others come runnin' ta me when they need somethin' ta wear with a bit more SPICE?"

"W-well, I take it I can trust ya with this?"

"Of course ya can!" the woman called from her room "Let me just find something in your tone!"

Only a few moments later Nel exited her room, holding a sky-blue garment in her hands.

"Heh, knew this would come in handy someday!" the woman said proudly "Got the fabric from an old game! They were just gonna throw it out but I managed to make something outta it, even if its simple!"

"Ya mean ya wear other colors BESIDES purple an' pink?" Calhoun said, sounding a might surprised that Nel had such a garment in her collection. The other Nicelander laughed again, her reactions almost as if she were replying to a child.

"Give us more credit than that, Calhoun!" Nel said as she moseyed herself over towards the Nicelander "I know our programmed clothing might look so BLAND compared to you 'whippersnappers' but yes. Yes, we do think of shades other than pink if that's what you're so worried about. I understand that not every lady here enjoys the shade but, geeze."

"I-I never meant ta imply it like that…." Said Calhoun, watching Nel like a hawk "I just…."

"You just need to put this on." Smiled Nel "Let's go. Ya can't make me wait!"

"But-!"

The newly transformed Nicelander looked at the dress and then looked back at Nel. She attempted to look stern, to look angry but in her new form the most she could do was make another silly, childish frown.

"But I don't WANNA put this on!"

"Shall I get your bubby?" smirked Nel, crossing her legs as she sat "I think FELICIA would have some really choice words to say on this matter if they were to find out ya weren't listenin' ta meeeee!"

"MISS NEL!"

"Better do it."

"I am NOT!"

"But don't ya wanna wear somethin' better than THAT?" the purple Nicelander said, fingers wagging towards the AWFUL dress Calhoun was forced to wear.

"NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!"

"Calhoun, goodness!" Nel finally said, pushing Calhoun towards the bathroom "It's just a DRESS! It's not like it's tha end of tha world or somethin' if ya put it on!"

Nel proved to be much stronger than she appeared as she managed to shove the former marine into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

"This is so stinkin' unfair!" Calhoun growled.

"I HEARD THAT!"

She mumbled again, looking at the dress; powdered soft blue. A beautiful baby, powdered soft blue was the color she was looking at. So used to dark colors was the marine that she feel her credibility slipping the longer she looked at the thing.

This was hell. This was hell in fabric form for the marine.

But then again, Nel had been the one Calhoun went to when it came to giving her old wedding dress a few 'upgrades' and she had enjoyed the way IT looked….so what was to say that Nel didn't know what she was doing now?

It was just a horrible thought though, the once powerful marine being cut down to less than a quarter of her size and forced to wear such girly clothing!

And-!

And….

 _And…_

Calhoun looked in the mirror, seeing her new reflection looking back at her.

Those chubby cheeks, those big bright eyes, those tiny hands and features; this couldn't be her!

But it was.

No matter how many times she tried to shake herself awake, the image was still there.

This was her.

This was Nicelander Calhoun.

She didn't know what to think, what to really do. THIS was who she was now and despite it all, despite how much she hated it….

" _Are ya okay in there?"_

"OH!"

She was going to have to make this work, SOMEHOW.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine!" the Nicelander said as she quickly put the dress on "J-Just gimme a sec!"

With the new dress on, Calhoun took another glance at herself. The clothing that Nel had lent her was much better than the monstrosity that Demitri had put on her but she didn't feel any better. She felt so weird, so out of place and out of pixels in her new form and the dress wasn't making her feel any better.

"Urgh, I look AWFUL!"

"What was that?"

Calhoun opened the door and stepped out, looking so uncomfortable and displeased.

"I. LOOK. TERRIBLE."

Nel put a hand on her chin "Hmmmmm….yaaaa might have a point."

"'EY!"

"But that doesn't mean I can't fix it!" the little Nicelander said, hopping up much like Felix always did when there was something HE need to fix.

Too bad his hammer couldn't fix TRANSFORMATIONS.

"Miss Nel? Forget it…." Calhoun moaned, sitting on the couch "There is no way in tha code-void that ya can fix TH-!"

"Up, up, up!" Nel chanted, boxes tucked under her arms "This calls for FIX-IT-NEL!"

"…Fix-it-NE-oh-oh-OH!"

"On your feet!" Nel ordered, making Calhoun hold he arms out "Trust me babe, I got this covered!"

"Um, you're not gonna use me as the dressin' dummy now?!"

"Like I said, trust me! Nothin' bad has ever happened ta tha guys when I do it to them!"

Oh-HO. Felicia better have her hammer ready!

Calhoun could do nothing more as Nel began her work around her and much to her shock, as well as her relief, Nel didn't once nick the woman as she cut, as she sewed, as she adjusted the fabric around her.

"Now put the arm down!"

Calhoun did as she said.

"And now tilt this way!"

Again, the order was given and it was followed.

"Good, good!" Nel said, the excitement growing in her face "Yes! Yes, this is what you need! Just a little more there! Oh, an' I can't forget this! An' I have to make sure it matches your hair as well!"

Just what in the arcade was Nel doing? Calhoun could certainly feel her working away but even if the dress was being mended around her she couldn't SEE what was going on. The former marine shut her eyes and held her breath, allowing the tiny Nicelander continue.

"ANNNN' DONE!" Nel said with pride, stepping away her neighbor "C'mon, sweetie. Open your eyes."

Calhoun peeked, turning towards the mirror.

And then she saw herself.

"OH!"

To say the least, Calhoun was astonished by what she saw. Nel had somehow turned a simple blue dress into something AMAZING. She had put on some lace, she had put on some frills per her style but she had managed to make it perfectly balanced with the Nicelander, everything matching Calhoun's form and her personality PERFECTLY. Even if the marine came from such a hardened game, the dress reflected her power and will to a T, Nel somehow even managing to put a BELT and a headband on the woman that reminded her of home while still fitting in with the 80s atmosphere of the game.

Calhoun couldn't say anything. She had nothing to complain about.

Nel was a master when it came to the sewing needle!

"An' for the final touch?" the purple Nicelander beamed, approaching Calhoun with a show box in hand "I can't have ya goin' about barefoot. Felix would never let me hear the end of it!"

"A-are you serious?" Calhoun said, looking down at the rather expensive looking pair of blue pumps "Ms. Nel! I can't take these!"

"Well, you're gonna hafta to!" Nel smiled, her face saying she wasn't taking NO for an answer "Sides, I would feel so bad if I let ya go out on tha job incomplete! What's a power-girl like ya without some shoes ta finish tha outfit!"

These guys; the more Calhoun hung out with them the more she learned just how their code really worked! It was a far cry from the jabbering little eggheads she once believed them to be, especially with how Nel was fussing over her; she hadn't seen her this excited since the wedding dress.

"How can ya do all of this?" Calhoun said, hand on her hip, her newly dressed feet tapping on the wooden floor.

"Mmmmm-AGIC!" Nel smiled, sparkles flying from the tips of her fingers "But seriously, don't you feel a lot better?"

Grinning smugly, Calhoun flipped her bangs from her eyes "Hehe. It's a start."

"Good, because we need ta get ya goin'!"

A little bit more confidence in her, Calhoun marched to the door with her head up high though still getting used to her balance in heels.

"Right! I wouldn't wanna be late for tha first day!" she said in a powerful voice "Nicelander or not, I am not the type of person ta arrive ta work LATE!"

"Whoa, Tamera?"

The little woman let out a squeak as she turned, seeing her gender-swapped husband looking at her, her jaw dropped.

"F-Felicia? I mean, Felix? I mean-!"

Darn those names.

"Holy…." Felicia said, blushing a bit as she approached the two Nicelanders "G-gracious, Nelly! Ya didn't hafta do so much ta her! I-I mean, a simple outfit would have been good enough!"

Calhoun could see the bits of sweat and steam puffing from the repairwoman's body; something had been struck and even if her situation were odd enough as it was, she couldn't help but smirk.

"Simple? SIMPLE?!" puffed Nel "Oh pa-SHAW Felix! Ya know I couldn't let your honey-kins walk around lookin' half-dressed! She deserves tha best!"

Calhoun looked over in surprise at the Nicelander, not expecting her to say such a thing.

"Oh."

"Hmm?"

"Thank ya, Nel." Calhoun smiled, nervously scratching her lip "Eh-heh. Um, what I mean is…thanks for takin' away some of tha craziness that's been goin' on….an' for the outfit of course!"

"Don't worry about it!" the little woman said but she gave Calhoun a wink "Just remember. Nory an' I stayed PUT durin' tha whole Bliss fiasco. Ya can at least say we did that!"

"I'll remember that." Nodded the Nicelander marine "But now-!"

*DING DING DING!*

Everyone froze in their place, Felix looking around.

"Quarter alert!"

"Already?" said Calhoun, looking around "A-ah, w-what's tha first step I take?! Where's my position?!"

"To the windows, to the windows!" Nel said as she pulled Calhoun over to an empty slot.

"An' my pie? I don't have a flavor like everyone else so-!"

"Y-You can share some of mine…." Came a tiny voice from behind the marine, Calhoun turning to see Meg standing close, an extra pie in hand "I-I mean if you're okay with it."

How things were turning this day, Calhoun never expecting in all her life that she would be doing the work of the Nicelanders but much to her surprise the bunch seemed to welcome her to the task even if they knew that by doing so they were opening up the doors to many risks in the game. It was enough that Ralph and Felix had decided to go out as 'Roxie and Felicia' but the game had to go on, Bliss or no Bliss!

The marine remembered her promise, that she would help the Nicelanders and even if she could not shoot like she was so used to doing she KNEW she would be able to handle a few rounds of handing out pies!

She was Sargent Tamera Jean Calhoun!

The best and the brightest!

There was no job that could hold her down!

A burning energy began to burn within her; she had her costume, she had her pie….she was ready to go!

"Yeah!" the woman roared "Let's get this game goin'! Lemme hand out those pies!"

From his place in the window, Gene peered over. He knew it was against his better judgment to state his own feelings about the situation but he held his tongue, letting out a heavy sigh as he leaned on the widow, fingers running through his hair.

" _Sweet ghost of Miyamoto…."_

"Dear?" Mary asked, snuggling up to the man, giving his sides a loving squeeze "Things are going to be fine. Don't worry, okay?"

Gene's eyes darkened "Do you think she'll be able to make it through round three?"

Mary paused, eyes widening. Her grip around her love tightened as she grew increasingly worried.

"…..I'll have a talk with her about THAT."


	3. Chapter 3- Workaholics

Chapter Three – Workaholics

"This is it…" Calhoun said to herself as she readied her mind and her body for the first quarter drop "This should be a piece of cake. Or maybe in this case, a slice of PIE."

Calhoun was familiar with how things went in Niceland. Felix and Ralph would exchange their quotes, the Nicelanders would then give their lines and then it was time for action! She had seen it done a hundred times before!

But this time she was INSIDE the building, not out.

This time she WAS a Nicelander, not a spectator.

It still sent chills down the former marine's back that she was in the form due to the Bliss, still getting used to how she looked and how she felt but there was no time to be sentimental about her old body when there was work to be done! She had promised the Nicelanders she would lend a hand by passing out pies and that was what she was going to do!

"Okay, Tammy! Let's do this!"

 **I'M GONNA WRECK IT!**

There was Ralph.

 **NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!**

There went Gene.

 **FIX IT FELIX!**

There were the Nicelanders.

 **I CAN FIX IT!**

There was her husband.

Ready?

 _ **GO!**_

"Alright!" the new Nicelander said, a pie in her hand "Let's-!"

"Move one!" called Mary, pointing to one half of the group "You guys know what to do!"

"W-wait, what?!" stammered Calhoun, watching as the Nicelanders began to breeze past her "Move one?! To where?!"

Before another word could fly from the Nicelander's mouth, Calhoun found herself swamped by the others, the group taking turns ducking and running from both Ralph's attack only to appear again just as Felix made his move towards them. Every second, something was happening whether it was raining bricks INSIDE and OUTSIDE the building or that the others needed to get into the place on time.

"H-hold on! I need to find my footin' here!"

"Okay, Nory!" said Mary.

"On it!"

Calhoun watch in awe as Norwood dashed towards the fire escape and SLID down the ladder, ending up on one of the side balconies just in time to hand Felix a pie. In another astonishing act of acrobatics, the little man then swung himself BACK into the window, rolling gracefully before stopping right in front of Nel and looking as cheeky as ever.

"Heh, impressed my lil crème puff?"

The purple Nicelander rolled her eyes "I'd be more impressed if ya managed ta flip yourself into someone LESS annoyin'!"

"Oh mama, why do ya hafta be so MEAAAAAAAAN?" the red-head laughed, not at all deterred by the woman's jab.

The stairwell doors then flew open, Gene panting in exhaustion as he had ran all the way back from the woods.

"Is everything in place?"

"Yes, of course dear!" Mary said as she ran over to her love, handing him one of his blueberry pies "Just give it about a minute or two in! The player hasn't gotten too far yet!"

The Mayor combed back his hair as best he could with his fingers, sniffing arrogantly "So I take it the players are going about it rather slow by your words!"

"Mary!" shouted Meg "We need you! Its time for the-!"

"The what!? The what?!" Calhoun said, finally getting back on her feet "What tha heck is goin'-?!"

"Beep, beep! ITS'A MEEP!" called Lucy as she spun on her toes towards another window, nearly knocking Calhoun over "One ten-point raspberry pie ready!"

Every turn that the faux Nicelander made the others were BLAZING past her, the lot of little people set on a perfected grid to make certain that their hero, er HEROINE, got the needed points and power-ups to continue the game.

"Okay, Tony hit the left window!" said Don as he gave a few orders "Roy?"

"Yes?"

"Head upstairs! Ralph is creaming us!"

Indeed, the gender-flipped Wrecker was doing her job.

At least Roxie could be thankful that no one minded that she and Felicia looked a bit OFF than their normal forms as the female behemoth was pounding her fist into bricks and mortar, everything inside the apartments shaking and quaking.

"GAH!"

Calhoun realized she had NEVER been inside Nicelander when it was getting 'the treatment' but even if she had, she guessed that if she were in her NORMAL form she would have some stability and balance to take the hits given how much sturdier she was than the Nicelanders.

But seeing that she WAS a Nicelander now….

The little woman was getting a heavy dose of what it felt like to be IN the action and even if she was used to fighting off massive face-eating bugs, nothing prepared her for the crumbling apartments, especially when she wasn't used to being in one in such a rolly-polly body!

"Uh-uh, I am NOT fallin' back again!" the woman huffed as she forced herself on her feet but a large section of wall came crashing down next to her, causing her to squeal loudly.

"HOLY-! Didn't your programmers consider makin' tha outter shell of this place take damage rather than everythin' INSIDE?!"

Gene glanced back, the look in his eyes one that Calhoun didn't feel was too friendly or even sympathetic towards her.

Just what in the arcade was he thinking?

"Oh, if only things were so easy…." The Mayor huffed, moving quickly down the hall.

"Mayor!"

"Heads up!" the man in blue cried "Extra life, coming up!"

Gene made his way towards another window and placed the pie on the sill, Felicia stretching out and as she took a bite.

*BA-DING!*

"HA-HAAA!"

"What pie was that?" Calhoun asked Carlos.

"Gene's got the 1-Up pies." The man answered "Just another perk of being the Mayor of this place."

"So he does more than just get thrown an' blown up?"

"Young lady, we ALL bake. We ALL hand out pies." Gene said, his voice sounding even more peeved as he walked past the bunch, getting another pie ready "Just because I'm used as AMMUNITION does not mean I can slack off on everything else. I have OTHER responsibilities as you can see."

Calhoun's eyes narrowed, not too keen on the tone Gene was giving to her "Heh, got it MAAAAYOR. Though I'd hate ta be tha one ta throw ya out before its time."

Lucy snorted from afar " _Have ya even TRIED ta lift him? Good luck with that."_

A nerve had been struck, the marine seeing something go off in Gene's eyes but Mary quickly intervened, moving up to the man and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Dear, not now." The woman in pink said "The young woman has offered her help and the last thing we need is YOU pushing her away for….for what reason I do not know!"

"I am _**NOT**_ pushing her away!" Gene snapped, cheeks reddening in frustration. Mary put her hands on her hips, giving the man a strong glare.

"Then what is it, huh?"

Her eyes peering to the side, Calhoun could see Gene's mustache twitch. He was DEFINITELY upset about something but as usual he kept hush about it.

"Let's just keep working. We don't want to lose time do we?"

Mary watched the man in blue go off, shaking her head.

"Stubborn, big-butted blueberry…."

"I HEARD THAT, PINKY."

"Don't worry about him." Mary said reassuringly to Calhoun "He usually mellows out at lunch time."

"Ah, sure…." The blond woman nodded, still feeling a twinge of unease at the exchange that had just happened. There was no time to discuss what happened however as the other Nicelanders continued on their path, Calhoun trying her best to find a spot, ANY spot to take but each time another Nicelander beat her.

She tried to go towards the end windows but Pearl got to it before she did. When she went towards the middle, Meg showed up. She was so used to Nicelanders being so….so slow. So awkward in their movements but given that she was one of them now, her sense of balance and speed had changed a bit.

Maybe they were not as slow as she had once thought now that she had the same build as them.

"This is ridiculous!" she growled "I'm gonna let everyone just breeze past me? Huh! No way!"

A few other pies were ready to be taken, Calhoun grabbing and readying her tiny feet for action.

" _Just have to find the right time, just have to find the right time!"_

"Stand back, dearie!"

Mary?

The little Nicelander in pink ran towards another window, her pie held over her head. Calhoun can only watch in amazement as the little woman ran towards the nearest window and handed Felix his pie.

"Right on time!" the repairwoman said and with one bite-!

*DING DING DING!*

 **SUPER FELIX!**

 _Er…._

 **SUPER FELICIA!**

The colors flashed before everyone's eyes, the group looking on happily as their heroine transformed into her super form and blazed up the building.

"So what's what it looks like from tha inside…." Calhoun said, her big eyes blinking.

"Calhoun?"

"GAH!" the woman cried, Deanna looking at her "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean ta lay down on the job like that."

The ruby Nicelander could see that the former marine was trying to push through but the cracks were there; she was still trying to take in the process of being a Nicelander and the duties that came with it.

"I could help you with some of those pies if you'd like." The older Nicelander said, pointing towards Calhoun's stack of pasties, not a single one having been passed out. The faux Nicelander grimaced painful; she wasn't even an hour in and already she was failing at the job.

"H-Hey, don't worry Ms. Dee-Dee! I said I was gonna do this so rest assured that-!"

"We need more ten-pointers!" said Kal "I need to restock so does anyone-?"

Ah-ha! It was now Calhoun's moment to shine!

"I got 'em!" Calhoun said as she picked up her pie "I need ta carry my weight around here so-!"

"Dear, wait!" cried Mary "If you go out too far you'll-!"

"I said I got it!" the marine said with a tone of assurance in her voice "In fact, ya guys might hafta sit back on this-!"

 _ **QUACK!**_

"GYAAAAAAAAUGH!"

Before Calhoun had even a second to blink, not one, not two, but THREE DUCKS flew in and went for her pie! The little woman screamed in terror as the foul-feathered fiends began tearing away towards her, wanting nothing but the tasty treat that was still clutched din her hands.

"If you go out too far…." Mary moaned, putting her face in her hands "The ducks will think you're trying to give the pie to THEM."

"AURGH! AUGHR! Stop, STOP!" Calhoun screeched, her high-pitch voice only making things even stranger "Look! I'll give ya tha pie if ya stop tryin' ta eat me!"

The pie landed on the ground with a splat, the ducks quickly gorging on the remains but things only went from bad to worse as MORE ducks began to file in, smelling the tasty pie from within!

"Oh no! NOT AGAIN!" cried Roy as he let out a scream, ducks overtaking the floor as the Nicelanders ran around for cover. Calhoun was surrounded by screaming, gibbering Nicelanders and had she been in her normal form she might have been able to fix the situation with a powerful scream or a few shots of her gun but this time?

" _ **KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIII!"**_

This time she was screaming WITH the Nicelanders and it wasn't as if the players hadn't noticed. In fact, to the players this was the best gaming session they had ever witnessed!

"Aw, look at this!" said the boy "All the duck are cornered at the window! I can go up as high as a want now!"

" _Uh-oh…"_ whispered Roxie, eyes darting back and forth " _Guess I owe someone five bucks….."_

Felicia, her back turned away from the player, could only wonder in worry what was going on with the little Nicelanders as they were now screaming so loudly that she was certain that EVERYONE in the arcade would be able to hear them.

" _Guys? GUYS?!"_

It was a feather fiasco inside the building but Gene surprisingly took control, going into an apartment and coming out with a broom.

"Shoo! SHOO!" the Mayor barked loudly, swatting the larger chubby ducks out the window "You'll get your crust and berries once the game is over! SHOO!"

With a nice hit, Gene managed to swat a particularly large duck out the window on its bottom, the apartment finally cleared but there was mushy pie and feathers coated on everything and EVERYONE.

And in the middle of it all sat a little Nicelander in blue, shivering a bit as she lay on the floor.

"Th-those…those weren't Cybugs! But-!" Calhoun shook "But-! Th-they kept comin' an' comin' an' comin' an' comin'! _**AN' THEY WERE THE SIZE OF TURKEYS! WHAT DUCKS ARE THAT BIG?!"**_

"Our ducks…." Gene cleared his throat, offering Calhoun a hand to get up and brushing some feathers off of her "But given that…EVENT is over, are you alright young lady?"

The marine looked down at herself, everyone a mess and the Nicelanders looking at her.

She had really messed up this time, hadn't she?

But this wasn't supposed to happen, not to her! She was Tamera Jean Calhoun, sergeant of one of the toughest, darkest, most kick butt game in-!

*DING!*

Everyone looked up, another chime going off.

"Felix made it through!" said Meg "Time for us to get to the roof!"

"To the roof?"

Right.

It was time to throw ROXIE off the roof!

Calhoun found herself alone for a second as the others rushed by her but she quickly caught up. A few of the Nicelanders made it out the door and stepped out, doing their little victory bounce and cheers.

"Uh, is this when the big dive happens?" Calhoun asked Pearl, the other woman nodding.

"Mm-Hmm, we just gather up and hold Ralph up before tossing him off the building!"

"Well….that sounds easy enough!"

"I…I guess it does." Replied Pearl, not too keen on the way Calhoun was looking at her "I mean….it takes some effort to lift the man but-!"

"This I HAFTA try!"

"C-Calhoun, wait!" Pearl cried out, falling forward as she missed the woman, Calhoun using what little stealth that remained in her to join the group. She managed to get behind Nolan but even as the final seconds ticked by before the inevitable throw, she could hear the group murmuring.

" _Ah….should TONY kiss her now?"_

" _Gah, I didn't even consider that!"_

The gender-swap was still in effect and in a last ditch effort to ensure that nothing else crazy happened, Tony did indeed dash over and give the new heroine of the game a little, sweet peck on the cheek.

*SMECK!*

Calhoun put her hands to her cheeks, trying to hide the ever increasing blush.

" _Urgh, an' ta think these guys have had more chances ta kiss Felix than I have! An' I'm married ta tha man!"_

"Okay, time to go!" Felicia signaled. Roxie getting into place.

This was the moment!

"Better get into place!" Calhoun said, jumping with the others as they took ahold of Roxie and lifted her off the ground "HEAVE HO!"

"CALHOUN?!" said Gene, seeing the blond jump ahead of everyone "What are you do-?!"

"I got this!" the woman called back, giving the worried Mayor a wink "Just givin' ya guys an extra lift so-!"

And then….the snag.

Calhoun was moving much too fast for the others and in her attempts to make up for her mistakes in the apartment, her legs became entangled in Roxie's dangling strap!

"AAH!"

"TAMMY!"

And was the gigantic woman slipped from the tiny hands of the Nicelanders, so did Calhoun! Both she and Roxie cried out as they were sent down but as the ground became closer a terrible thought came to all who witnessed.

Calhoun might have LOOKED like a Nicelander, that was for certain.

But would her code reset as one SHOULD something GRAVE happen to her?

"HANG ON TAMMY!" Felicia shouted, taking off at top speeds down the stairs. Story after story both Wrecker and Nicelander fell but once the two reached the third level-!

"GOTCHA!"

"OOF!"

Thank the programmers for Felicia's speed! The spritely heroine manage to make it to the third-story landing and catch the Nicelander just as Roxie finally landed face-first into the mud pit! An enormous splash was heard but it could have been accompanied by another sound had the heroine not made it in time, her arms wrapped around the chubby frame of the transformed marine.

"Are ya okay?!"Felicia panted, much more panicked than the Nicelander she had just saved "OH! TELL ME YOU'RE-!"

"MAN!" Calhoun said, wiping her brow "I-! I didn't-!"

The little woman looked up, seeing a few of the Nicelanders peeking down at the couple and she finally got a glimpse of just how far she had actually fallen. Had her bubby not been there….

 **GAME OVER**

"Uuurgh, what else can go wrong?!" the marine-turned-Nicelander growled, hopping from Felicia's arms and storming into the apartments.

"Honey, wait!"

"Felicia, we need you to prepare for the next level!" called Don.

Darn it; Felicia wanted nothing but to comfort her wife at the moment but she was on the clock. Her heart tugged upon seeing the woman stomp into their apartment before slamming the door but Felicia couldn't leave her post, not when the gamers needed her.

" _Aurgh…."_

Another quarter, another game.

But this time, one set of hands were missing.

"Darn it, darn it, DARN IT!" Calhoun grumbled and groaned, her tiny legs kicking in the air as she sat on the couch "C'mon! Why can't I get this! It should be easy! IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS HARD TA HAND OUT PIES!"

"Sweetie?"

The woman turned, seeing the form of Mary entering the apartment. She quickly got to her feet, a little embarrassed that she was caught in such a fit.

"Ma'am! Wh-why are ya-?"

"I just came to check on you…." The little woman in pink said in concern, taking Calhoun by her hands "After that fall you took? Gracious me, I nearly jumped out of my SKIN!"

"Wait, YOU were worried about ME?"

"Of course I was!" Mary said, her eyes widening even more "Young lady, you're one of my dearest friends here! I wouldn't know WHAT I would do if I were to watch something horrible happen to you on my watch!"

Even more guilt began to rain down upon the marine. It wasn't enough that Mary and the other Nicelanders were being hospitable enough to let Calhoun join them in their escapades, even with the mistakes she had made, but to hear that Mary was WORRIED about her rather than ANGRY?

Had Demitri done this for a reason?

Had he done this to Calhoun to HUMILIATE her or was there something else going on?

Whatever the reason, Calhoun had never been so embarrassed in her life, feeling even more so once she realized that she was looking Mary directly in the eyes this time when in all previous cases she would have to look DOWN upon her. The blond Nicelander in blue flopped back on the couch, groaning loudly.

"How do ya do it?"

"Do what?"

"I mean….ALL OF THIS!" Calhoun screamed, her hands going out "I-! I can't get inta tha rhythm of ANYTHIN' here an' I've been turned into a Nicelander! But-!"

Mary sat down next to the woman "Yes? But?"

"But I can't do ANYTHIN'!" shouted the faux Nicelander "Oh, I know for CERTAIN if I were to try ta bake a pie tha thing would go up in flames!"

"Um, well….you haven't tried so don't doubt yourself just y-"

"An' when I try ta hand out pies, what happens?! I get attacked by those MONSTER DUCKS of yours an' get everyone else in trouble ta boot! I mean-! HOW?!"

"Dear, this is your first day. We were all a little nervous when we took to work…" Mary said, trying her best to reassure the young woman "Besides, I know you're not used to this so…."

"So?! It….it shouldn't matter if I'm not used ta handin' out pies! I'm a SOLDIER! It is my duty to take charge of a situation an' make sure that I get my troops out safe! I can't FAIL at this! I can't fail ta keep your game goin' or-!"

"Sweetie, listen…" the pie-baker said "I think you're taking all of this the wrong way."

"What do ya mean, ma'am?"

"What I mean is….have you ever considered that you're approaching our game the HERO'S DUTY way and not the NICELANDER way?"

Calhoun blinked, not getting the message "Run that by me again?"

"Dear, I know our job isn't as glamorous as yours…." Mary said, looking down as she gave her hands a little squeeze "We're an old game, I know that. And I'm sure you would consider pie-baking to be a step-down from something as empowering as being a hero. W-We DO have slightly out of date roles compared to you…."

Calhoun looked aghast at what Mary was saying, suddenly feeling that she had said the wrong thing before.

"W-wait, I didn't mean ta imply that your jobs are inferior! I don't think that at all!"

What to say, what to say.

The soldier was cursing at herself, realizing that she had gone into the game thinking that as more advanced character she could take on a role as 'simple' as the Nicelanders' but she was quick to find out that the group did MUCH more than hand out pies and scream. They had a system and it was a system that was much more elaborate than people were giving them credit for, her own experiences with the crew proving that to her first hand. She suddenly got what Mary had meant by her words.

She HAD been going into the game with the wrong mindset, thinking that if she ran in, pies blazing she could complete the task just like she did in her own game but it didn't work like that. Calhoun still had to be careful, she still had to use her senses but she had to use them in a whole new way, a way that the Nicelanders had gotten down pat for the thirty-so years they had been on the job.

The Nicelanders did indeed have a job.

And it was a job that Calhoun realized she was going to need a lot more practice to fully understand.

She looked back at Mary, the woman looking worried. Calhoun continued to count herself lucky that the woman was being so nice to her after the flops she had made, after the danger she had put herself and for that, the woman OWED her. She owed a few of the Nicelanders for what they had done since the Bliss had been placed upon her.

If Calhoun was going to be a Nicelander, it was about time she learned how to be one from the best.

"Ma'am, lemme just say ya guys are doin' a stand-up job here."

"Hmm?" Mary blinked, not sure that she had understood the blond Nicelander "Excuse me?"

Calhoun smiled, giving Mary a hearty pat on the shoulder "Heh, if only I could see the inner-workin' of that pie-filled brain'a yours! Maybe I could learn all this stuff in a snap!"

"I assure you, TAMERA…." Mary scolded "It doesn't take 'a snap' to learn everything. Sure, there were some inner coding done for us but after we switched out the pies for our own-!"

"Yeah, yeah. I know that story." Calhoun smirked but her expression softened ""I know tha story but ya know somethin'? I need ta know tha GAME."

"The game, sweetie?"

"I see it's gonna take more than LOOKIN' like a Nicelander ta WORK like a Nicelander." Calhoun smiled "An' I wanna keep up my end of this for ya guys since ya helped me so much already."

"Then….then you want to go back out there with us?"

The blond Nicelander nodded "Yup! But ma'am?"

Mary looked on, seeing Calhoun blush a bit.

"Can ya teach me a'couple a things before we head back out?"


	4. Chapter 4- Improvise

Chapter Four – Improvise

"Okay, get ready for another round gang!" Felicia called as she got into position. The Nicelanders did as their heroine told them, each one lining up in front of a window.

"Has anyone seen Mary?" whispered Roy, Gene taking quick notice of the question.

"Mary?"

"Yes, she and Calhoun disappeared a while ago." Don answered, Gene turning his head towards the sailor. NOW he was getting worried; he had been so busy with the others making sure that everything was running at top gear that he had failed to notice the Nicelanders of blue and pink slipping away from the crowd. He looked around worryingly, hands wringing together as he sought to go after his love.

"Oh, sweet ghost….Just when the quarter is about to-!"

*DING!*

About to drop!

 **I'M GONNA WRECK IT!**

 **BOOM!**

Roxie grabbed the pudgy Mayor from his window and with a smile, tossed him into the woods.

"NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURGH!"

"Heh, music to my ears."

Again the pace began to pick up as Felicia and the Nicelanders began their round and like clockwork Gene ran his way back to the apartments though he did so a bit faster this time.

"Mary? Mary?!"he called out, still unable to see her from the crowd. His heart began to race, worried something fierce.

"Where could she be, where could she-?!"

"Look out! COMIN' THROUGH!"

Gene cried out as he turned, seeing both Mary and Calhoun rushing down the hall with pies in hand but this time?

This time Calhoun was riding about in Gene's office chair, Mary riding on the back!

The Mayor's mouth dropped, blinking twice to ensure himself that was NOT hallucinating.

"W-What in the name of Litwak's nana?!"

"Whoo-HOOO!" cheered Mary, holding into the sides of the chair "Watch out Blueberry Booty! Don't wanna mow ya down!"

Gene jumped out of the way just as the chair nearly hit him, looking as Calhoun began TOSSING pies out of the window!

"Catch FELICIA!" the faux Nicelander teased, hurling one out the window so hard that it nearly hit the heroine in the face.

"GAH!" cried Felicia, catching the pastry in time to earn the ten-point bonus "Uh, thank you!"

"Not a prob!" Calhoun winked, sticking out her tongue playful. Mary stuck out her foot, turning the chair and keeping the ride going.

"Okay, right after Lucy gives hers out we need to make another round!"

"On it, Commander Mary!" Calhoun laughed powerfully "Niceland-HOOOOO!"

"W-what are you two doing?!"Gene demanded, though he looked much more caught than angry at the moment "And why are you riding in MY chair?! You know I don't like people playing in it!"

"Oh, lighten up Mayor Booty-Shorts." Chortled Mary, stopping the chair in front of the bewildered man "This was what Calhoun and I came up with to help her keep up with the pie-path!"

The man moaned, his hands going to his temples "Look, its wonderful that you're offering your help to the young lady dear, but did it require that you take things from MY OFFICE?! You know I don't like-!"

"You don't like a lot of things, sweetie…" Mary said, moving close and kissing Gene warmly on his nose "Loosen up and let US handle this!"

"Yeah, MAAAAYOR!" Calhoun tittered, patting the man on his head and enjoying every second of watching him blush "MAAARY an' I got this covered! Just go back ta handin' out them pies of yours, if ya don't eat them of course!"

" _ **TAMERA!**_ " the man growled, going from pink to CRIMSON as the anger erupted inside of him.

"Sorry, gotta run! We have pies ta hand out!"

What Gene would do to knock back a bottle of rum at that moment but he had to remember to keep his cool under the pressure. He had made a promise after all.

 _But with the way people continued to push him….._

"Okay, empty window comin' up." Calhoun pointed "Get ready to lauch!"

Mary was having just too much fun at the moment, the little woman pushing the chair faster and faster down the hall with her tiny feet as if to imitate the movement of Calhoun's hoverboard and for something the two women had come up with at the spur of the moment….

"Here we come!"

It was working WONDERFULLY.

Calhoun had taken to Mary's advice of doing things the Niceland way and that was just the thing she was doing, though with a little bit of a twist on her part. Mary agreed that she would show the former marine the walking path the Nicelanders usually took while Calhoun decided that to make things a bit more INTERESTING a little imprecision could be done on their part. After all, it was only fair! The gender-swapped hero and villain got their chance to improvise under the moment so who was to say the Nicelanders couldn't do the same, especially when they were having so much fun doing it?

Mary cheered like a little girl as she and Calhoun rode around on the chair of the Mayor's, the man only dreading the damage that it was going through.

"Guys, please!" the man begged "THAT IS PATENTED LEATHER! You're going to damage it with the horsing around you're doing!"

"Have FELICIA fix it." Calhoun grinned "I'm sure SHE would love it!"

"Mary, we need a Super Pie, stat!" Nel called as she pointed towards the window, the little woman in pink getting a powerful look upon her face as she began to reeve up her feet.

"Better hold on, Blondie." The woman smirked "We're hittin' TURBO SPEEDS!"

"Oh good lord…." Mumbled Gene, slapping his forehead.

He knew that Mary could be a brat at times but never in public!

Never on the job!

"Here, Solider. Lemme get ya up!" Calhoun said as she pulled Mary into position on the chair, the woman aiming her pie in hand. The Nicelander marine took Mary by her arm, positioning her hands just right _"Steady, steady…."_

"Mary, we need that pie!"

"Annnnn' NOW!"

"HA-HAAAAAAA!"

With a strong fling of the wrist Mary HURLED the pie out the window, her aim so perfect that the pie flew DIRECTLY into Felicia's mouth, the woman not even realizing that she had eaten an entire pie in the blink of the eye and the flashing of her super colors.

"BURGH! HUH?!"

"Holy cow!" said Roxie as she peered down at the apartments "Who the heck threw that thing?"

Inside the apartments Calhoun was laughing up a storm, clapping her hands as she stood proudly next to Mary.

"Hoooo, BOY! Didn't know ya had such strength in ya Ms. Mary!"

The little woman in pink smiled smugly, flexing her little arms "Well, it comes from YEARS of handing out pies, dear."

Thankfully, the other Nicelanders were just as humored as the other two…

With the exception of one of course.

Looking as peeved as ever, Gene marched up to the two.

"You two…."

"Yeah?" Calhoun smiled, looking down at the chubby little angry man "Somethin' tha matter, Big Guy?"

"Is something the ma-?! What in the world gave you two such an idea to try this?!"

"Gene, I told you…." Mary began "We needed to find a way for Calhoun to work around some of her problems and this was the solution we BOTH agreed upon."

"You-?! You think that tearing around the halls and TEARING up my chair was the best solution?!"

"Well, it worked didn't it?" the marine snorted, rolling her eyes "See? I didn't trip once an' your baby-doll here delivered pies like never before, right?"

At the very mention of the words 'Baby-doll' Gene began to glow pink once more. It felt like the entire game was starting to gang up on him, a feeling he ALWAYS hated.

Forget about remaining calm! He needed to put his foot down!

"OKAY, THAT'S IT!" the man roared, his voice echoing off the walls "Look, young lady! I'm sorry that things are not the same here as they are on Hero's Duty but you cannot go around rough-housing like this, ESPECIALLY during a game session! What if a player sees you?! What if you get HURT?! Oh, GRACIOUS! I wouldn't know WHAT I would do if I knew you had gotten hurt an Felix-!"

"CATCH MEEEEEEEEEEEEH!" Mary cried out as she jumped from the chair, Gene yelling and scrambling as the woman sailed towards him.

"MARY-! OOOOF!"

There was a bounce as Gene caught the woman in his arms, landing hard on his bottom.

"Oh, you big blue fussbudget!" Mary laughed and cooed as she held Gene tight, the man trapped helplessly on his back and flailing.

"A-Aurgh! M-Mary! Stop it!"

"All you ever do is complain." The woman teased, not caring if the others were looking on, giggling and snickering at the sight "Well, complain and gobble up anything you can get your hands on of course."

The Mayor of Niceland had never been so embarrassed in his life as he lay on the ground, Mary kissing at his cheeks and every single one of his neighbors looking on.

Well, at least the PLAYER was unable to witness this indignity.

The lunchtime lull hit the arcade, the arcade near empty which meant it was the perfect time for the Nicelanders to take a break and catch their own midday meal. Calhoun was happy to find that much like the surplus of pies they baked, the Nicelanders always had a big lunch awaiting them, the group gathered on the plush grass behind the apartments as not to let a human eye spy them.

"Are ya feelin' better?" Felicia asked the little Nicelander as she handed her a sandwich "From tha way ya guys were laughin' seemed ta me like somethin' was goin' on."

"Oh, we're fine Fix-it-FELICIA." Calhoun said as she took her lunch "I just needed a quick lesson in tha proper technique for handin' out pie, that's all."

"Really?"

"Yup!" the woman nodded happily "Thankfully, I had tha best teacher!"

Felicia looked over, seeing Mary once again going her way to tease Gene. Mayor and Baker were sitting on a blanket, Mary trying to get the man to take the sandwich she had made for him.

"C'moooon."

Gene crossed his arms against his chest and pouted "NO."

"Dear, I know you're hungry. You're ALWAYS hungry."

"I don't want to take a bite of your stupid sandwich! Not after the way you made fun of me!"

"Oh, blah-blah-blah!" Mary laughed, pinching Gene on his cheeks "Big baby. If it's not one thing, then its another with you."

"Why must EVERYONE in this arcade push my buttons?!" the Mayor gripped, looking down at his love as best he could "Does it make everyone feel SPECIAL when they constantly antagonize me?! All I ask is for one day, ONE FREAKIN' DAY, where I am not the butt of some immature- MMMMPGH!"

"You get so grump when you're hungry…." Mary cooed as she shoved the sandwich into Gene's open maw "Have a few and you'll be all ready to go for the next round."

"Hey, Mary!" Roxie called over "Don't give all those things ta Gene! We need ta eat too!"

"Mpph! Then move faster, ROXIE!" Gene said, his mouth full as he reached over and took the basket of sandwiches as if he were a greedy child who refused to share "Or are those added ASSETS of yours slowin' ya down, lovely?"

" _ **GENE!"**_

"An' they've been at this for THIRTY years?" asked Calhoun "THIRTY. YEARS. I don't know HOW I would remain sane if I were surrounded by those t-OH!"

A warm hug.

Before Calhoun knew what was happening, she found herself gripped in the loving arms of her transformed husband, Felicia snuggling the Nicelander tightly.

"Honey!"

"Oh, I'm just so glad ta see ya happy, Tammy!" the repairwoman said, eight-bit hearts popping over her head.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Ya were just so upset because of all of this….It was killin' me inside ta think I couldn't do a thing ta make ya smile!"

Oh, Felix.

No matter what form he took he would always remain the same.

The little woman managed to move around, looking the heroine in the eyes but she did so with a little sneer, tickling Felicia under her chin.

"Babe, there has never been a time in this arcade when you've been unable ta put a smile on my face."

Felicia's eyes glowed with hope "Really?"

"Of course! I mean, you're so DOOFY in any form! What girl couldn't smile at that?"

"HEY!" Felicia pouted, her grip loosening a bit "Here I am tryin' a be nice an' ya gotta pull jokes on me like that!"

"Don't pull'a Gene on me." Laughed the marine "Can't ya boys take a joke?"

"Urrrrrrgh! Enough'a this sappy stuff!" Roxie complained, making a few fake gagging noises "If I wanted ta watch NICELANDERS LANDING, I would have kept my butt in my home!"

"Aaaaw, is widdle Roxie JEL-WUUUS?" Calhoun teased "Ha-ha-ha-HAAAA! Big bad Wreck-it-Roxie is grossed out by a few kissy-kisses!"

"You've been a Nicelander for too long." The big woman scowled "Look at yourself! Now I WANT tha Calhoun who would threaten me with unnecessary violence back! At least then, you're froo-froo powder-puff love talk was kept to a minimum!"

"Perhaps Felix an' I should do see Demitiri a bit early then? An' we could ask that he EXTEND your Bliss a little longer but not as a LADY, Roxie girl!" Calhoun laughed evilly "Maybe it should be YOUR turn as a Nicelander!"

The large woman gave Calhoun an unimpressed look, poking her on the forehead "Ya wouldn't do it. I know ya wouldn't."

"I would too!" scoffed the Nicelander marine "N'fact, I betcha if ya were a Nicelander, ya would stumble around even worse than I did!"

"Sure, Calhoun. MM-HMMM."

"Heh, I was able ta come up with a way ta work around my inexperience with pies! That shows ya how good I am in this gig."

"You also shot a hole through Norwood's apartment." Gene said tartly as he began his second helping of dessert "Need I remind you of that?"

"THAT'S IT!" cried Calhoun "One thing I'm gonna do? Imma show ROXIE here that she isn't tha only one who can throw you!"

Gene gave the blond Nicelander a miffed glance as he watched her approach him "YOUNG LADY."

"See?!" Calhoun said "I can still do SOME of my fightin' moves on Gene! Just-!"

Calhoun attempted, Calhoun tried but as she went in to flip Gene over her shoulders….

"UURGH!"

She found he was INDEED a lot heavier than he looked.

"Y-Yeah! Yeah, I got this…." The marine puffed, Gene going limp in her hold.

"Having fun there?"

"I-I-I'LL get ya!" the woman struggled, barely able to lift Gene on his feet.

"Gene, stop toying with her!"

"No, no, no. I want to see how far she gets with this."

"If I can find a way to deliver pies, then I can- YAAURGH!"

 ***WHOMP!***

It hadn't even taken that long for Gene to land stomach-first on Calhoun, the little Nicelander crying out as the Mayor lay atop her.

"Gah, Gene! Get offa her!" Felicia cried out in worry.

"Hey, she was the one who wanted to test her strength. You can't get mad at me."

"AURGH! Felix, he's crushing me with his blueberry grumpness!"


	5. Chapter 5- Pie Talk

Chapter Five – Pie Talk

The rest of the day went off like a dream thanks in part to Calhoun and Mary working together to prevent any more 'accidents' from happen. The combined forces of the two opened a new door for Calhoun to actually enjoy the time spent in her new Nicelander body though it was still a strange experience to say the least.

But at least she was enjoying it.

Round after round, Calhoun found some new way to entertain herself passing out pies and ducking through the building. It might now have been the dark and gritty halls of Hero's Duty and she might not have been being chased by hungry Cybugs but she made a mission out of passing out pies and avoiding the greedy ducks who wanted to take a bite out of them before Felicia did.

"Watch out, Mayor Blueberry!"

And of course, there was all the chances she got to annoy Gene.

Whether it was rushing past him to make him spin on his feet or getting Mary and the others to surprise him around the corner, Calhoun was having a fieldday pranking the man, finding the task was much easier once she was actually HIS size.

"Heh, who knew I could get away with this much stuff when I can see eye-to-eye with him?" the marine laughed, darting away from another prank she had pulled. Gene was trying his best to stay calm, remembering that he still had a job to do even if the others did not but like always, it was so hard for him to keep his temper down when the odds were stacked so horribly against him. It was bad enough that Calhoun was spreading her influence on the others, making them behave WORSE than they usually did away from the eyes of the arcade, but to get MARY to join in with her?

It was unheard of!

Well, at least OUTSIDE of their apartment. Mary did like to act out when she thought no one was looking but this time she let it all out. The Mayor had never seen the woman behave like this before since….since….

Well, the eighties. Back when things were still fresh and new.

"Another quarter drop!"

The man shuddered as he prepared himself for his first duty.

"Murgh, can this just END already?"

 **"I'M GONNA WRECK IT!"**

 ** _"NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"_**

After so many rounds, after so many pies being passed out the game day was finally over.

"Quitin' time!" Felicia sang, her little voice fluttering in the air sweetly. Had the others not been around, Gene would have simply DROPPED to the ground and ROLLED himself back into the apartment but it was best to keep up appearances.

"Aurgh, finally."

A flash of light blue ran past the man, Gene getting a glance of Felicia as she ran towards the door.

"Felix? I-I mean, Felicia?"

"Sorry, Mayor! Gotta go!" the repairwoman waved "I wanna catch Demitri before-!"

"OH!"

"AH!"

Two forms bumped to each other at the top of the stairs, the repairwoman looking down to see a familiar Nicelander before her.

"Sweetie!"

"Nice ta see ya too." Calhoun smiled, sticking out her tongue "Where are ya headin' off to?"

"Where do ya think? Ta Darkstalkers of course!" Felicia said, putting her hands to her hips "I know ya had a lotta fun but we still gotta set things right!"

"Pfft, I know that big-nose." The woman teased, reaching up and honking the other woman on her nose "But I'm in no rush."

"What?! But all mornin'! Tha way ya acted! Tha way ya sounded!"

"Babe, cool it. Cool it." The little woman reassured, putting a hand on Felicia's head "Yeah, I know I was gripin' more than Gene when there's no cake left-!"

"Young lady, I SWEAR to programmers-!"

"But…but if it's okay with ya, ya don't have ta turn me back so soon."

"What? Ya wanna be a Nicelander for a while?"

"Um, I just meant….don't worry yourself over me." Calhoun said in a kindly voice "Right now, I have PLENTY'A team members who can cover for me but ya an' Roxie? Maybe ya need ta change back more than I do."

"Oh no." Felicia scolded "I see that look on your face, missy! I made a promise ta ya that I would change ya back so-!"

"Felix…."

The gender-swapped heroine looked down, noticing the look the Nicelander was giving her.

"Yeah?"

Calhoun motioned the woman to move closer, whispering something in her ear. Within eye-shot the Nicelanders looked on, begging to themselves to know the juicy words that the two were exchanging.

"Ya really wanna do that?" said Felicia, Calhoun responding with a nod.

"What does she want to do?" Gene said, looking over. Norwood gave a shrug towards his friend as he looked onward.

"Ooookay." Felicia said as she stood up, smiling "But be careful. I've seen ya cook before."

"Babe, give me some credit!"

"Should I arm everyone with fire extinguishers?"

"FELIX!"

"Watch out everyone!" the repairwoman laughed as she ran down the stairs "FIRE HAZARD COMIN' THROUGH!"

A sense of dread hit Gene right in his gut, even if Felix were the one making such jokes. What did Calhoun want to do NOW, especially since she was walking right over towards him!

"Mayor Blueberry!"

"Gene. GEEEENE." The man hissed in annoyance "Please, can't someone just respect me ONCE?"

Calhoun pulled the man towards the door "Let's go."

"Go? Go WHERE?!"

"To your bubby." Smiled the blond Nicelander "We have some things ta do!"

"Like wh-!"

Before the Mayor could say anything more he was pulled into his apartment, the door shutting loudly behind him.

"Aughr, that is IT Calhoun!" Gene growled, stumbling on the carpet "I can take some pranks, I can take some games but everyone! EVERYONE here has gone beyond the line when it comes to-!"

"Ms. MAAAAAAAAAARY!" Calhoun sang "Your love-muffin is here!"

Mary turned from the kitchen, a wealth of pie ingredients laid out on the counter. She have the little man a sneaky smile, her fingers trilling on the marble countertop.

"So, you have finally come to join us."

The Mayor looked around nervously "What….is going on here?"

"You act as if we have never baked pies before." Smiled the pink Nicelander, pulling Gene into the kitchen.

"You've never baked pies with ME." Calhoun correctly as she followed, setting herself up next to the others "THIS should be fun."

"You're going to bake…WITH US?" Gene said in astonishment "But…WHY?!"

"Why?" said Calhoun, taking a spare apron from Mary "I just thought it would be somethin' nice ta repay ya for takin' me in, that's all. I mean, I can do NICE things for ya, Genie-Boy. Or did ya really think I only wanted ta tease ya till ya turned even BLUER in tha face?"

Mary was laughing brightly, Gene hunching over in anger in the middle of both women.

Remain calm. Remain steady.

"Alright….fine." Gene snorted in annoyance "You're free to bake pies with us. You're free to bake pies with us at ANY TIME for that matter but just be careful."

"Oh, I will." Calhoun smiled, the look on the man's facing telling her that he didn't trust her at all "I just wanted ta get a PROPER lesson in for my own pie."

"You own pie?"

"Yeah! I mean, everyone here has their own flavor so…so why not have mine?"

Gene looked over, seeing that Calhoun was SERIOUS in her words. Maybe he had misjudged her and she did want to do something nice for a change, something SERIOUS for a change.

"Does Cybug pie count?"

MAYBE.

The Mayor forced a laugh as he began washing a basket of blueberries, trying everything he could to keep the others from wrecking his focus.

"Young lady, I'm sure Felix would enjoy ANY pie you make for him. You know that man loves you."

The way Gene had said that word, LOVE, made the woman blush. She turned quickly and hoped that he didn't see red on her face..

"I-I know that. But still, I need a SIGNATURE pie. A pie that says 'Tamera Jean Calhoun made this! She can kick but AN' bake a mean pie as well!"

"Heh, that's sweet of you, dear." Tittered Mary "And don't worry. We have plenty of fillings to choose from so take your pick."

Calhoun tapped her finger on her lip "What to choose, what to choose."

Gene DID have a lot of fruit and other sweets stored up, the kitchen MASSIVE in the little apartment.

Gene wasn't kidding when he said he liked to live large.

"Oh, this is harder than I thought…." The former marine said, sounding a little worried "Um, I would go for cherry but that's not me. Ya guys have all the good pies picked!"

Gene turned towards the girl "Well, what pie WOULD you have choose if-?"

"Blueberry of course!" Calhoun interrupted "EVERYONE LOVES blueberry pie! An' just my luck, ya called dibs on that….BLUEBERRY!"

Gene felt his spine shiver, Calhoun once again toying with him.

"Young lady…."

"Oooh, what flavor should I pick? Boysenberry? No, I hate those. Raisin? Wait, who makes a raisin pie? YUCK!"

"Don't fry your brain out!" said Mary "The flavor of a pie doesn't come from FORCE, it comes from within."

"Within?"

"Yes." Nodded the little woman, looking at the marine wisely "We choose our pies based on the happiness they bring to us, whether it be from out backstories or something we experienced in the arcade."

"Really?"

"Indeed." Nodded Mary "For me, strawberry was my pick because….well, it reminds me of the memories of baking for the first time with my mother. How much I loved putting the berries into the crust."

"And chasing me away from it." Gene added with a little arrogant smile. Mary slugged the man in the shoulder.

"Brat! Ruining the story like that!"

"It is true though." The man smiled "I have those memories inside as well and I can remember clear as day the sounds your mother would make when you tried to roll me out of the apartment. 'Mary, don't you dare! He's just a baby and he can have all the pie he wants!"

"Yes, but I wouldn't have been so ANGRY had a CERTAIN, ROUND LITTLE RUNT OF A NICELANDER tried to gobble up EVERYTHING that came in his path! Huh, HUH?!"

"You say I'm a glutton…." The Mayor smiled, mixing more ingredients "I just say you guys don't appreciate good food when you see it."

"GENE!"

Calhoun chortled "And you Mayor? What's your backstory for liking blueberry pie so much?"

The man blushed again, clearing his throat.

"A-Ah, well you see…."

"I'm listenin'…."

"I-I have other reasons as to why I like that SPECIFIC type of pie, but they have nothing to do with any backstory."

"Then what?" asked Calhoun "Tell me, oh great leader of Niceland."

"Its personal."

"As if telling the young woman about our lives as children WASN'T." Mary huffed.

"Dear, you know the reason why! I just can't tell it!"

"Don't push him, ma'am. I can give tha man some respect there."

Gene looked up, seeing that Calhoun was being truthful in her words.

"Pardon me young lady?"

"Heh, there are some things in life that are better left kept private. I have my things, ya have your own."

And here Gene thought Calhoun was going to go out of her way to prod more secrets of him, just as several others in the arcade had done before. It wasn't as if the woman hadn't joined in on a few jokes at the man's expense before but even then she would draw the line at things, sometimes being the moderator when Gene felt he could no longer take another jab or laughed aimed towards him.

He sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"W-What were we talking about again? Trying to find your pie flavor?"

"Right." Said Calhoun "I don't wanna just COPY somethin' ya guys make. I wanna make my own!"

"You have all the freedom to do so, sweetie." Said Mary "Just remember, you cannot FORCE your love of pie. You have to-!"

*Knock knock knock!*

"Who's there?"

"Mary?" said the voice from behind the door "Sorry to interrupt but it's Pearl."

The little woman in pink went to the door "Yes, what is it dear?"

"We have a little issue that we could use your hand in."

"Oh my…." The woman said in worry, looking back at the two in the kitchen "I am sorry you two, but if its an emergency-!"

"We have things all together here!" Calhoun reassured, Gene not looking as confident as the marine. If anything, he looked TERRIFIED that he was going to be left alone with the other Nicelanders "Do what needs ta be done!"

Mary gave a little bow and a good-bye to the others and took off with Pearl, the apartments now deadly silent. The clock ticked by loudly as Gene stood there, fidgeting and wondering just what to do and what to say to Calhoun.

"So?"

The man twitched, looking back "S-so? So what?"

"She's wonderful, isn't she?" the faux-Nicelander smiled "Mary, I mean of course."

"E-Er, yes…yes she is…."the Mayor gulped, hiding his engagement ring "Sh-she has always been a pillar for everyone here since the day we were plugged in."

"Heh, I can believe that! Didn't think tha lil lady had it in her!"

Gene's eyes went to Calhoun "What are you implying there, young lady?"

"Oh? What I meant was….she surprises me. ALL of ya guys surprise me." Calhoun went on "All this time, I thought ya gyus were just lil cute piles of fluff, no offense there Mayor."

There was no reply.

"All these baked goods and sweets? I'm surprised that Felix isn't as big as tha buildin' with how much ya guys SPOIL him!"

"Well, we have a very good REASON to appreciate what he has done for us." The Mayor said, his tone hardening "And its NOT just because he's helped us IN-GAME. He's done so much for us OUTSIDE as well."

"Yeah, I know about that."

"He really IS a hero."

"Yes, I am aware. But-"

What was that BUT for?

"Ya guys are a lot more, hmm, CAPABLE than ya think as well. I mean, all this pie business? Tha course ya guys set out is even wildered than what I thought! I guess it just took a lil hands-on experience ta learn that!"

Gene shut his eyes, a lump forming in his throat "THANKS. Thank you for the compliment dear. I just wish that various other people held the same type of sentiment towards us."

Gene was going into that mood again, that was easy enough to see.

"Say, what's wrong Mayor?"

"It's nothing, dear. Nothing…" the man said, pouring the contents of his bowl into the pie crust.

"Somethin' is wrong…."

"Were you not the one who said you didn't like to pry into people's business?" Gene said in a snappish manner, Calhoun arching a brow.

"I KNOW what I said, GENE." The woman replied, pointing over to the man "But for goodness sake, Big Guy!"

"WHAT?"

"You've been actin' like a putz ALL day! I can't just leave ya in an even WORSE mood when Ms. Mary comes back!"

"I am NOT in a bad mood!" the man said, showing off that he clearly was.

"Then what is it? Are ya mad at ME for what I did earlier?"

"Goodness, NO!" the Mayor quickly said "It might have been rather…UNSANITARY to have all those ducks in the apartment but I do not blame you for it. It was just an honest mistake on your part."

"Then…"

"Young lady."

"Look, Gene if you just tell me part of what's goin' on, I swear you'll feel better! An' if ya don't tell me, then at least tell Ms. Mary! Ya can't keep EVERYTHIN' private! Sometimes ya DO need ta talk!"

"I would talk…" Gene said "But I've learned over the years that there are people who will NOT listen."

"I will."

"You don't need to waste your time on NICELANDER stuff."

"Mayor Gene."

"Calhoun, please stop!" the man said "I DOUBT you'd understand what I would explain ANYWAY! It doesn't concern HEROES."

"It doesn't concern HEROES? What do ya mean by that?"

"What I mean is…." The Mayor began, the annoyance clear in his eyes "What I mean is, this entire Bliss thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Demitri decided for US, he would make us appear more…more HUMAN. And for Felix and Ralph, he tuned them into women. As a joke."

"Go on…."

"But for you? He turns you into a NICELANDER. FOR A JOKE."

Calhoun blinked "I don't think I'm getting' ya, Genie."

"You want to know what's bothering me? Its THAT. The fact that Demitri views us as such JOKES he thinks it's funny to turn you into one, as if being a NICELANDER is the WORST, POSSIBLY thing to be in this place."

"W-Wait, I don't-!"

The realization of it all hit Calhoun in that second, the woman going silent as she raised a hand to her lips.

She was well aware of the grievances that Nicelanders and other NPCs had gotten in the past but she had forgotten just how MUCH it effected them as well as how many of the sentiments of 'roles' in the arcade had not vanished. Gene's annoyance from the entire situation came from the fact that Demitri had turned Calhoun in what HE considered to be the WEAKEST characters in the arcade as a manner of teaching the woman some sort of confusing lesson and it was something that Gene did not appreciate in the slightest.

After the entire incident with the power-ups, the marine was aware just how much Gene hated being called weak but hearing the others, especially Mary, get the same treatment was the trigger that flung the man into a rage. He had done well to hide it throughout the day but the Mayor couldn't stand it; he couldn't stand it at the end of the day Calhoun's transformation into a Nicelander was just another showcase of the arcade poking fun at NPCs. Demitri had probably expected Calhoun to hate being turned into a Nicelander and at first she had hated, she had hated going from her usual form to a form even SHE had considered weak but throughout the day….

Throughout the day she had gotten help.

She had gotten help from Mary and the rest of the Nicelanders which made the ordeal less of an ORDEAL and much more fun and enjoyable. Being a Nicelander was indeed something that Calhoun was not used to but she wasn't MISERABLE about it any longer, not when she had support around her to remind her that she could still function as a character, even if the character was a far cry from what she was actually coded to be.

The former marine looked back at the Mayor, the man leaning on the counter in a huff.

"Stupid vampire…."

"Hey, don't listen to those guys, Genie." Calhoun said with a smile "Sure, ya guys are chubby lil pie-munchers…"

"THANKS."

"But ya still get your job done, an' ya do with style!" Calhoun laughed "Besides, I have never heard Felix complain about your work since the day I met him!"

Gene looked over, surprise on his face "….Really?"

"Yup! Since I moved here, he's always had a good thing ta say about ya an' Ralph, how ya guys are tha best co-workers, AN' FRIENDS, he's ever had!"

"W-Well, he HAS to say those things, young lady." Gene said sheepishly "He IS the hero of this game so its expected of him to…"

"No, he was speakin' from his heart Genie." Calhoun cut in "Trust me, I KNOW when Felix gushes. An' he was GUSHIN' non-stop about ya guys over an' over an' OOOOOVAAAH!"

Gene's eyes darted to and fro.

Don't do it, Gene!

DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!

"… _.Nine thousand?"_

"You lil dork." Laughed Calhoun "But really, talkin' with Felix he doesn't think ya guys are WEAK. He know that helpin' an' fixin' things is his DUTY but he doesn't hold ya against it."

"Th-that's nice….but because of everything that happened here, the others and I have made certain not to abuse his powers as he once have."

"He never considered it 'abuse'."

"But we asked too much of him." Gene said "And the way we tried to use him to keep Ralph away. The way _**I**_ tried to use him…..it WAS too much! I really don't see how the boy can see us in a good light after-!"

"Because he knows you're good people." Said Calhoun "I don't know EVERYTHIN' that happened here in tha past but Felix showed me that I COULD trust ya, that ya WOULD be nice."

The Mayor frowned a bit "It's nice to hear such things from you, young lady. It really is…."

"Here comes another but…."

"But it still doesn't help with the bigger picture. It still doesn't help push back everyone else who are STILL getting on us for what we did to Ralph. All this time, I thought stopping it would be as easy as, well, you know. The whole power-up fiasco was part of it."

"The whole thing where ya hoped changin' size would get people away?"

"Yes, and that turned out SO wonderfully, DIDN'T it?" said Gene, turning back to his work in the kitchen "Look, I want to apologize."

"For what?"

"For sounding so…IRRITABLE this morning." The man said "Even…even if everyone says I'm irritable all the time. I didn't mean to come off like some sort of fun-sucking monster or whatever you see me as-?"

"UH."

"I'm just TIRED, young lady. I'm tired of so many people here. I know of the trouble I gave Ralph but can you imagine it the other way? Thirty years living as what is to be considered the WEAKEST and the WORST NPCs in the arcade. And to have people CONSTANTLY reminding you of it, to have people looking for any open chance to get to you and to THEN have the audacity to say they're against bullying when for YEARS, they're the ones who have been doing to US even before they even gave a flying blip about Ralph!"

The man let out a frustrated growl.

"NONE of them even knew HE existed until he became the hot-topic of this place. Just as him! He could even tell you some of them were just as bad as us when it came to the 'bad guy' mentality but NOPE! Hey, they can be forgiven in a heartbeat because at least they aren't US! At least they aren't NICELANDERS! Its okay to continue to guilt us and push us at the same time! Making us fear life is the RIGHT way to go!"

"Alright, airght! I get it, Genie…." Calhoun said, putting a hand on the Mayor's shoulder "Geeze, I'm scared you're gonna Hulk-out on us again if ya keep this up."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry….it's just as I said. Did that vampire do this to you because that's who he views as weak around here?"

"I don't think it's as deep as you're makin' it out, Genie. I mean, isn't his Bliss supposed ta make anyone who falls under it 'cuter'? I mean, it turns guys inta girls an' makes tha girls even more girly, if ya can believe that!"

"Yes, I guess you're right but it did makes MYSELF and the others more…ANATOMICALLY correct so I hope you understand WHY I've been so worried about all of this. Everyone would say OUR transformation was an IMPROVEMENT but yours?"

"Everyone would consider it a DOWNGRADE." Calhoun finished "Yeah. Yeah, I see what you're sayin' an' not gonna lie. I wasn't too keen on tha whole Nicelander thing, at first."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, but I mean. I'm so used ta bein' clad in armor and shootin' things in tha face! Havin' a job change like that with no warnin'? ANYONE would be upset."

"I-I see your point…." The Mayor meeped, trying to put his focus on his work "It does remind me of what happened in my case with those power-ups. But you're lucky. At least people aren't SCREAMING at you or running away."

The Mayor did have Calhoun on that. The Nicelanders had being, as their namesake said, NICE to her in helping her adjust and even now the former marine could not believe how much Gene was opening up to her now that she was physically on his level. She had to wonder if he knew what he was doing and saying himself as he never appeared this comfortable with her, at least when Mary wasn't around.

He let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head "I'll have to talk to that young man. Tell him myself that it isn't right to go about using his powers on people so willy-nilly."

"I think I can handle that myself." The marine smiled, a tricky glint in her eyes "'Sides, I think he would be more upset knowin' that I did find some enjoyment in all of this."

"Enjoyment?"

"Heh, hangin' out with tha gang all day? Hmmph, I would have ta say I've been impressed with how ya guys work! An' again, I hafta hand it ta your lil love-pie, Genie! When things get tough she knows how ta handle 'em!"

There went the blush again as Gene turned "I-It's her inner-strength. She's always had it, more than any of us."

Calhoun moved closer, poking the Mayor on his cheek " _Is that why ya loooove her?_ "

More and more crimson rose "Young lady!"

"Hey, hey! I love Felix for tha EXACT same reason! What is there ta be ashamed about?"

"I-I am not ashamed!" Gene stammered "I-I just-! I just can't help feeling this way with Mary!"

"Don't be ashamed."

"I-I try so hard not to be! But-!"

Sensing that he was being teased again, the Mayor slowly calmed down. What reason DID he have to be embarrassed again?

He smiled but the rosy pink tint on his face was still going strong.

"Okay, ya got me. I love Mary. I love her more than any pie and all the pie that has been and will be baked!"

"Sounds like a lotta pie." Sniffed the blond Nicelander.

The little man seemed to drift away in his daydreams, his minds filled with the sweeter memories of the early days of the arcade, the memories he shared with Mary. Looking back, the man found that he had so many good memories to combat the ones that were much more sordid and with the joy coming to him, his smile grew bigger and bigger. He just couldn't help it, he felt so warm and light.

"Aah, AAAH!" laughed Calhoun "An' everyone says that a happy Gene is a RARE occasion!"

Catching himself, the little blue man stood up and attempted to regain his focus.

What luck that would be now.

"A-as we were…." The man coughed "Didn't you say you wanted to find your own pie?"

"Yeah, still thinkin'….." the blond Nicelander said "Man. Why is it so hard to think of a pie I like! Its not like I've never eaten pie before but all the classics are taken! I don't wanna just up an' copy somethin' ya guys make!"

"Don't burn yourself on it, young lady. It'll come to you."

"Cripes, another challenged has come ta face me an' again I'm at a lost ta solve it!" the female Nicelander whined "But I gotta keep my head above it all! Like tha old sayin'! When life gives ya lemons-!"

Lemons?

LEMONS.

The eyes of the Nicelander in powder-blue opened wide, the bob dropping.

LEMONS!

She shot up, looking over to the pantry wall to see a basket of fresh lemons looking right back at her.

" _ **MAYOR GENE!"**_

"Gah, what?!" the man said, nearly dropping his mixing bowl to the ground "I-Is something wrong?!"

Calhoun jumped up, a happy-sounding *PING!* under her steps "I GOT IT!"

A few hours later, Mary arrived back at the apartment. She hadn't expected to stay with Pearl for so long but as the two had chatted during their own work the little woman in pink had lost track of time.

"Goodness, I hope Gene isn't worried about me." The Nicelander baker said, going back to the apartment as fast as she could "And poor Calhoun! I said I would help her and-!"

"No, no, no! You're pressing the rinds too roughly on the grater! You're going to actually squeeze the oil out at this point!"

"Hey, I'm still new ta all these fancy moves! Lemme handle it!"

Mary stopped as she heard the voices of Gene and Calhoun coming from the apartment, a few clanks and bangs of metal accompanying them.

"What in the arcade is going on?"

Mary opened the door, hit with the sweet aroma of baking pies and other treats, the sight of Calhoun attempting her hand and grating lemon rinds catching her eyes.

"Tamera?"

"Oh, hi Mary!" Calhoun said "Looks like I found my flavor after all!"

Mary smiled once she realized what was going on, running over to the girl and her fiancé "Ooh, I knew it would come to you!"

"Yup! Just needed a lil inspiration from everythin' that's happened ta me!" the former marine said as she lifted a lemon up, spinning it on her finger "What better pie to make than something tart, tangy and sweet ta chase away tha worries?"

Lemon Tart Pie

When life gives you lemons, you make lemon pie.

"I just hope Felix will like it."

"Oh, knowing that YOU made it?" Gene began "He is bound to LOVE it!"

"No, I'm serious! I want him to enjoy this! I want him to TASTE that I put as much love in my pie as you two for yours!"

"Our-?" said Mary.

"Our pie?" finished Gene.

Calhoun nodded, reaching for the powdered sugar "Yup! I'm not gonna fail on this one!"

The little woman continued her work until finally, the pie was complete. The crust was a bit burnt on the edges and the filling was a bit uneven but…

"Heh, did it!"

"Y-Yes…." Gene said, feeling a might uncertain as he looked at the condition of the pie "YES YOU DID."

Taking the pie in her hands Calhoun waltz over towards the door, her head held high "An' now ta take it to ol' Honey-Glows"

"Oh, this I have to see." Mary said with a smile, dragging Gene along behind her.

"Nya-!"

It was a short stroll over to the repairman's apartment, Calhoun stopping in front of the door and knocking.

"Oh MISS Feliciaaaaaaaa!"

The tumbler turned as Felix, still swapped, opened the door.

"Tammy?"

"Hey MISS Fixy Person." The little Nicelander smiled "Would ya mind tryin' this out for me?"


	6. Chapter 6- Listening In

Chapter Six – Listening In

The Bliss had gone on longer than what the trio had hoped but as usual, they found a way to push through it. After all, that's what heroes are SUPPOSED to do right? Felix and Ralph had found a way to improvise during their transformation and Calhoun had done the same, the former space marine finding that with some help from the other Nicelanders she could actually function in her new form and body.

It was strange to say the least that the woman, the one who was so used to being loud, to being in the face of others, to shoot giant aliens with one blast was getting an inside look at how the others in her home-away-from-home worked.

"Okay, everyone!" said Mary as she lead the others to their starting positions "The gamers are coming in! We can't dawdle!"

"On it, ma'am!"

From her new point of view, Calhoun was impressed. Impressed that the Nicelanders, as silly as they looked, as goofy as they could be towards each other, did care for their game and that they did care about the effort they put into their work but more than that….

She had gotten to know them a lot closer.

She remembered when she had been told of how they feared and how they had treated Ralph but now that she was with them she could see for her own eyes that they did work with the Wrecker, that they did treat him as one of their own and that they indeed welcomed him onto their team.

Almost like…

Friends?

It was something that Calhoun, something she kept within, had always hoped would happen. She knew that nothing good would come from the game if people continued to hate each other, if there was no respect and cooperation but it was there. She was working alongside it and she saw that it was indeed there.

True, she wished she could have seen this in a less SURPRISING way, a way that did not result in her being Blissed by a hung-over lord of vampires but in the end….

"This ain't as bad as I thought it was gonna be…."

As usual, the team of Fix-it-Felix Jr. went about their day. Ralph, or ROXIE, would come and throw the little Mayor. Felicia would answer the call of the Nicelanders and then action! Calhoun might not have been shooting bugs or barking orders but she still manage to have fun, combining the skills she could use in her tiny Nicelander form along with the pointers that Mary had taught her to make them game her own.

And it wasn't as if the former marine hadn't traded some advice with the Nicelanders as well.

"Lucy, do that spin of yours again!" Calhoun called out "Honey-Glows needs another pie an' you're tha closest one ta tha window!"

"A'course." Lucy said with a smug grin, spinning on her toes, pausing in a dance pose right out the window "Ya can't stop these moves."

"MAYOR!"

"Nygh! What?!"

Calhoun leaned on the man and grinned deviously at him "Wanna up tha challenge?"

The man in blue's eyes darted back and forth; what was the blond Nicelander thinking THIS time?

"Er, perhaps?"

"Lemme give ya this. Play with tha players a bit. They know them one-up pies of yours are IMPORTANT. That they're WORTH it."

"So?"

"Go up ta one of tha higher windows." Said Calhoun "I can bet your tie collection they'll go runnin' for ya with ol' Big-Nose!"

"But-!"

"Try it, Big Guy!" the faux-Nicelander said as she pushed the Mayor off "Try somethin' NEW! Edge up the game a bit!"

"B-But we already took it too far with the PIES! W-what if we-!"

"Gene, just try it." assured Calhoun "The pies, tha bonus stages? Tha kids love it an' ya guys are allowed ta enjoy your lives an' have fun too…"

Gene gulped as he looked at his blueberry pie; he knew that Felix needed it and that kids would scramble up the building to get it.

But could re risk it?

He looked over at the fire-escape ladders; usually Norwood would take that route but maybe…..

Yeah! He could do this!

Drawing in a deep breath, the Mayor dashed off towards the windows and scrambled up the fire escapes and as he climbed out he got more of a view of the player than he had ever seen before.

"S-Sweet ghost-!"

"Hey, look!" called the little girl playing "I see the one up pie!"

"Get it!"called another.

Gene meeped as he scrambled up the ladder again but then took a path towards another window, the player controlling the still gender-bent Felix to follow Gene but with the barrage of bricks, it wasn't an easy task.

"Oh, watch out. Watch out!"

"I am!"

Gene kept his pace steady while Felix continued to climb, the players using all their skills to avoid Roxie.

"What is Genie doin'?" the swapped Wrecker asked to herself but whatever it was, the players made certain they were on it.

"Oh man, oh man, oh MAN!" Gene groaned "I hope this doesn't-!"

*DING DING DING!*

The player had gotten the one-up!

" _Felix?! Er, Felicia?"_

" _Whoa, put me through a bit of a chase, eh Genie?"_ the little woman smiled, putting some ease on the Mayor.

"Y-Yes. *Ahem.* J-Just felt like adding a bit of, er, SPICE to the game?"

Felicia gave another confident nod as she was taken left, the game continuing and Gene scurrying back into the apartments, a few of the others laughing and clapping as they greeted him.

"Hehe, didn't think ya'd run for anythin' THAT fast!" chuckled Norwood "Well….ya know. With tha exception of FOOD or when ya need ta go after ME-AAUGH!"

One well place punch to the gut solved that.

"See, Mary?" the marine smiled "Told ya your big-ol blueberry-bubby had some stealth!"

"Oh, I already knew that." The woman in pink smiled "Like Norwood said, give him something TASTY, he'll come running to it."

"GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUYS!" Gene mewled, blushing like mad.

Hour after hour and finally….

"Quitin' time!" sang Felicia as she marched off the roof with pride "Man, this was a REALLY fun day!"

"Yeah, I'd hafta agree…." Smiled Roxie "But do ya think we can get ta Darkstalkers?"

"Hmm?"

"I know it hasn't bothered ya that much buddy but…but I kinda miss my OLD body. Even if it was smelly an'less…hmph. ROUND?"

"I get ya, I get ya." Smiled Felicia "We'll head over ta Darkstalkers now.

"Thank ya." Sighed Roxie "I swear, if one more guy tries lookin' at my can again…."

"Tammy!" Felicia called as she saw the little Nicelander talking with the others "Good news!"

"What is it, babe?"

"Roxie an' I are gonna go out an' talk ta Demitri. Finally get our bodies back!"

"Great!" the little Nicelander said "I'll join up with ya as soon as-!"

"So how many people are going to show up tonight?" Mary asked as she walked with Gene down the hall, her arms gripped around his. The little Mayor held tight to a clip board, reading off the list.

"Hmm, hmmm…..well, it appears that we're going to have a guest turn out of about twenty tonight, not counting those that might come later on."

"Guess that means we'll have to pull out a lot more!" said Mary, standing powerfully "Tell Lucy to set up the blankets on the lawn and Norwood and Don to set up the tables!"

"On, it dear."

"Say, what's goin' on?"

The two Nicelanders turned, Calhoun walking up to both of them.

"What was that, dear?"

"You two plannin' a party?"

"Oh, no." Mary smiled warmly "It's the NPC Network meeting!"

Ah, of course. Calhoun remembered when she had suggested the little couple set up the meeting group to help NPCs all around the arcade with their issues and fears and while there had been times when she had sat in on the meetings for a little bit….

"Do you want to speak first, Mary?"

"If you think so…."

She had never really sat through an ENTIRE session.

"Um, guys?"

The couple turned, noticing the look on Calhoun's face.

"Uh, if ya don't mind…."

"Yes, Calhoun."

Feeling a little bashful, Calhoun put her hand behind her head "C-Can I sit in with ya?"

"Tammy?" Felicia said as she walked up to the Nicelander "What about goin' ta Demitri ta turn ya back?"

"Go an' help yourself first, Big-Nose." The marine smiled "Ya an' Ralph NEED ta turn back, 'specially with tha way ol' Brick-House back there has been whinin'."

"Like ya didn't cry when ya were first turned inta a Nicelander." Snorted Ralph.

"Are ya sure about that, honey?" the repairwoman asked, worry in her eyes "I…I don't wanna just leave ya like this! I-I couldn't!"

Calhoun reached up and took Felicia by her cheeks, squishing them "Look, Honey-Glows. Just lemme do one more thing an' then I'll catch up with ya."

"But honey! I…I can't leave ya like this. I don't want to! I would never leave ya when ya need he-!"

A finger touched the worried woman on her lips, Calhoun shushing her.

"Felix. Just trust me on this one. Ya an' Ralphie go out an' get Blissed back ta normal. Once tha meetin' is over, I'll get myself set back right as well."

"O-Okay…." The worried repairwoman said as she took the Nicelander's tiny hands into her own "But if anythin' happens? Ya better tell me, ya hear?"

Calhoun chortled playfully, trying her best SOUND even more like a Nicelander than she already had "Oh, GRACIOUS mah dear Felicia. Do not worry your silly, pie-eatin' head about meeee!"

"Mary?"

"Yes, Felix?"

"WATCH HER."

"Aw, c'mon!"

Not long after Felicia and Roxie let the game did the game begin to fill with several NPCs, Calhoun looking around at the collection of characters. Some were new to her but others looked familiar. Granted, none recognized HER due to her altered state but for the time being the marine felt that it was best that she use her unfamiliar form to her advantage.

"Ladies and gentlemen. "Gene said "We're about to start. Please take your seats."

" _Oh-ho, I have to hear this…"_ Calhoun snickered to herself as she took a spot next to Mary. She blended right in with the other NPCs…

Or at least, she thought she did until…

A LARGE figure.

A heavy armored suit.

Dog tags.

He was sitting a few people from Calhoun but she recognized the uniform easily.

It was a Hero's Duty solider.

She froze, her hair on the back of her neck standing on end as she looked at the young man but to her luck, he was chatting with someone else and didn't seem to notice the little Nicelander a few yards from him.

Who was he?

Which one was he?

B3-NN3.

Benny.

One of the many coded extra NPCs of course, the one everyone called BENNY due to his placement numbering. Calhoun and the others had talked to him from time to time but he seemed so sure of himself, so competent, so willing. He was a young kid like Mouse but unlike Mouse, he was out on the field and often time took most of the hits, always smiling when he came back after a game-over.

So why was he here.

"Everyone…" Mary beamed "We have a new visitor with us now. I would like us all to give a warm welcome to Benny, a member of the Hero's Duty Cybug corps!"

The group clapped but Calhoun shrunk behind Mary as best she could. Benny didn't seem to recognize his leading officer but she couldn't take any chances.

"H-Hi…." The LARGE NPC said, looking surprisingly nervous "Um….well, thanks for the welcome guys. I-I know this group has been set up for a while but…."

He stalled, rubbing the back of his head.

"I didn't know if this was the place for me really. I mean….someone like me? I don't think I would fit in."

"How so?" asked Mary "You know if you need help, you're always welcomed to chat here!"

"Yes, I heard that." The marine smiled "I guess….I guess. Big boy like me? What place do I have here with others? I mean, you guys probably had more important things to get through 'stead of just listenin' to MY problems."

Problems?

Benny had PROBLEMS?

Calhoun peeked a bit, a careful eye on the boy.

"Well, young man. We are not going to force you to talk…." Gene said, his eyes clear "But rest assure, when you do? We will listen."

Calhoun wanted to hear!

She wanted to hear EVERYTHING that Benny had to say!

"Alright, moving on…." Mary said "Last week we talked with a few of your about your relationships with your heroes and your core players. A few of you had various concerns. Who would like to start first?"

Mary looked over, seeing a few candy-people from Sugar Rush.

"Yes, darlings?"

"We're still worried…." Said a little gum-drop girl "Our relationship with our driver is fine but….but…"

"Yes?"

The little candy looked down, her hands folded on her lap "I wonder if she thinks we only do it because we're PROGRAMMED with her? I don't want her to think that what I feel is empty, that I just run on a track….but….but that's what so many others have been telling us. They tell us that we only cheer because we have no thoughts of our own, that because we're NPCs that we're not smart enough to think beyond that. They've been telling us this since King Candy went bye-bye."

Mary felt Gene's hand squeeze tight against hers; King Candy was about as big a hot-button issue to him as he was to Sugar Rush considering their past.

"But I do care for her. I care for so many of the people in our game…" the little candy person continued but a few tears welled in her eyes "But….but I don't know anymore. I-Is it real? Am I really caring or is it just programmed like everyone says it is? I-I don't want people to think that my love for them isn't real, that it's artificial!"

Wow, the NPCs could get really emotional. Calhoun gulped back; sure she was a hardened marine but the tears the little candy person was crying were indeed real and seeing them made her shake from the very inner being of her code. Mary put a reassuring hand on the candy person's shoulder and handed them a tissue.

"There, take this." The pink Nicelander said "Have you talked to your racer about this?"

"N-No…." the little NPC sniffled "I-I'm scared that she might hate me if I do."

"Don't be scared!"

The group looked, seeing Nicelander Calhoun standing on her feet. Realizing what she had just done, the woman flinched but she couldn't just remain silent on the issue.

"Er, w-what I mean is…."

Say something!

"Er, don't worry lil fella! Ms. Mary is right! I can see in your eyes that ya care for your racer an' this is somethin' that ya two should talk about!"

"Y-You think so? I-I don't think I'm brave enough to talk to her…."

Calhoun put a hand on her hip "Oh, don't say that! Look, ya lil sugar-bites might be small but ya have some spice in that hard-candy shell of yours! I know it!"

Benny began to feel uneasy, his hands wringing together as he listened to the words of this unknown Nicelander.

"When ya get outta here tonight, go up ta that racer an' tell her tha truth! Tell her that ya do care for ya, or worry, or whatever is goin' on in that sweet head of yours! I know she'll listen."

Mary and Gene exchanged looks, the Mayor looking much more concerned than his fiancée. Neither had expected Calhoun to jump in like that but she had. They had just expected her to sit in, perhaps make a quip or two as she sometimes did when she was in her normal form but to see such kindness from her? To see such warmth?

"Uh….I-I think I know how ya feel…L-lil fella."

Everyone looked over at Benny, the young marine sitting with one hand resting on his cheek while the other brushed the plush, checkerboard grass.

"Young man?" said Gene, looking up "Do you have anything to add? You're free to do so."

"I….."

Calhoun could feel her throat tightening, her heart beating faster and faster.

What was Benny going to say?

"I…."

"Young man?"

"I…..I sometimes wonder the same thing…." Benny began "I am well aware of my place in the game. I am an NPC, I'm meant to stay in the back and get shot accidentally or eaten. I'm okay with that but still…."

Still?

"Still I worry about whether or not I get in the way, whether or not I am pulling my weight and helping the others. Helping my Sargent."

Sargent?

Sargent Calhoun.

Now the faux-Nicelander was really worried. She could feel her cheeks warming up, growing hotter and hotter as Benny continued.

"L-Like I said, I'm not even sure I should be here. You guys? I know about the guff you get from others and I know its wrong. That's why I don't believe in it but as I watch it goin' on, I worry. I can't do enough to help ANYONE. And then I worry about Calhoun."

The marine-turned-Nicelander stumbled a bit before sitting back down on her bottom as she heard her name called.

"When I see Calhoun at work, I see who I want to be. I see someone who is confident, someone who is brave and strong, someone who is capable of doing all and EVERYTHING on and off the job."

All and everything.

If only he knew.

"But….but when I slip up, when I mess up my marks, when I get eaten too many times a day, I worry that I am letting her down. Calhoun has enough on her plate that she doesn't need to be looking after someone like me, an NPC. I mean, with all her other friends here, why WOULD she care about an NPC like me?"

"Benny, that is very understandable." Said Mary "We have all had feelings like that. But you can't dwell in them, you cannot allow them to weigh you down."

"I know I can't but this? You don't know how much I've wanted to say this but couldn't."

The young marine shook his head.

"I'm EXPECTED to be brave and tough. I can't let it get out that I worry so much about Calhoun, that I even worry so much about everything else. Worry, fear, sadness? They're weaknesses in the eyes of many and I don't want to be weak. If I'm weak then…then what am I? Certainly not a solider that's for sure. Certainly not any help for Calhoun, oh YEAH!"

"A-Are you the only one in your group who feels this?"

Everyone looked around, wondering who had asked the question but a figure did not stand.

Where had that voice come from?

 _From a hiding little Nicelander with blond hair and a blue dress._

"I don't know if the other guys feel this way, the other NPCs I mean. I guess….I guess we make hints to each other about what's going on but we're all really nervous about lettin' some of the higher ups know…." Said Benny "The big guys? What would they do to us if they caught us slackin' off? An Calhoun? As I said, I would NEVER want to upset her but…."

The boy stopped, a feeling of fear coming over him as all eyes went towards him. He was the biggest person in the group but at that moment he felt like the others were towering over him.

"I just don't want to let her down. I don't want to let any of my team down but I still feel like I am not doing enough, that my role in my game will never be enough compared to everyone else."

In that moment, something dawned in both Calhoun and Benny's mind. For Benny, he realized that he DID need to be at the meetings, that even if he looked so DIFFERENT compared to the others that he felt a connection between them.

For Calhoun?

For Calhoun…..

" _Tha guys…."_

She never would have thought that one of her soldiers felt the need to join a meeting

She never thought one of her soldiers felt this way.

She never knew they had such worries.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure my problems don't measure up to yours…."said Benny "I know what other people have done to some of you guys and I find it awful so-!"

"Don't feel that way, young man." Said Mary "We made this group so any NPC, no matter what game, could come here to discuss and help each other. Your feeling are real and it is better that you get them out rather than repress them."

Calhoun felt herself sinking further and further into her shell. She hadn't felt such emotions since…well, since the backstory between herself and Brad but while that was something that the developers had written what she was listening in on was REAL. This was one of her soldiers who was feeling this way and all she could do was sit there and listen.

She truly did not know what to say. She really didn't know if she could say anything.

"What should I do?" said the young man "Sh-should I really tell the Sarge about this?"

"Yes. Yes you should." Said Mary.

He should?

"I know it's going to be hard but please remember this. Yes, you are a marine but when the game is over, when those doors close you are still more than that. You are more than just an NPC. And you can talk to EVERYONE in your game, in your home."

More than an NPC.

Calhoun had gotten to experience those statements firsthand and as she had listened, sitting in silence, it suddenly dawned on her what she had to do. She clutched the grass, her eyes shutting tight.

She had to get back.

She had to return to normal.

The time ticked by painfully but finally the meeting was over.

"Everyone, help yourself to the refreshments!" Mary said joyfully "We had a wonderful time discussing the criteria tonight so-!"

Before Mary could finish, a flash of blue ran past her. In the seconds before the figure disappeared, the little woman could see the trolley leaving the platform as it headed to the station.

"Dear?"

"Yes?" Gene said, walking over to the woman.

"Who just left?"

Once the trolley hit the platform to the station, tiny feet ran off as fast as they could.

Calhoun's feet.

"I hafta get back!" she panted "I hafta get back!"


	7. Chapter 7- Underfoot

Chapter Seven – Underfoot

"What is it with you and Blissing people?" asked an annoyed Morrigan "You seem to be doing it much more than you used to back in the day as well?"

"I find it that it is the least violent way to shut 'CERTAIN' people up." Demitri replied, his eyes on his tea and not on his partner before him. A smaller succubus crept forward, the wings on her head twitching in annoyance.

"Oh, poo. You just do it because you think it's funny! You're just bein' MEAN!"

"Mean?" laughed the vampire, patting Lilith on the head "Oh-ho-ho, are you not the sweetest thing. Acting all worried about the well-being of the arcade from lil ol' me."

"This is why people think you're a jerk, Demitri." Morrigan scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"'Scuse me?" came a voice from the entrance of the game, the three monsters looking over "Is this a bad time?"

Felicia and Roxie arrived just in time, looking about awkwardly at the fight that appeared to be brewing before them but Demitri stood, bowing gracefully before them.

"Evening LADIES." He smirked "I take it the past few days were an EVENTFUL one, no?"

Roxie growled, puffing her chest out "Funny, DIMMY. FUNNY."

"Don't call me that."

"Look, Demitri…" Felicia began "We really don't want anythin' but ta be turned back okay? Tha joke's run its course so…."

"Where is that wife of yours?" the vampire asked, looking around "Don't tell me that I made her such a small Nicelander that she is now POCKET-SIZED."

Felicia blushed in anger, crossing her arms "Tammy is fine but no thanks ta ya, she had a rough start with tha whole Nicelander thing."

"A start? What about the finish?" the taller man asked "Why do you think I asked you about her whereabouts?"

"She's back at home with tha others…." Felicia said "She'd come with us but she said she wanted ta stay an' help tha other Nicelanders with their NPC Network meetin'."

"Ah, such a noble woman that Calhoun is…." Demitri purred, making Felicia even more uncomfortable than she already was "Always helping those who need it the most. No wonder she found such love and connection with a being such as yourself, Fix-It."

Now the heroine was REALLY blushing but she stood her ground. She knew that the vampire was just bluffing, or at least she was sure that was his reason for such an act.

"Will you stop screwin' with 'em, and just turn them back?" huffed Morrigan, Lilith peeking her little head around the corner as not to miss a moment of the action that was going on "They already went through enough as it is thanks to you!"

"Before I do…." The man began "I want to ask something."

"Yeeees?" Roxie frowned, a brow arching "What is it, DIMMY?"

"What did you two think?"

"About WHAT?"

"The Bliss." smiled the vampire "Had I gotten the chance to talk to those neighbors of yours, I would have asked them how it felt to be more, for the lack of better terms, BUILT in the bits, but what about YOU fine HEROES? What did you think about all of this?"

"What did we THINK?!" roared Roxie "THIS WAS EMBARRASSIN'!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah it was!" the woman continued, grabbing Demitri by his collar "I don't care HOW powerful ya are, ya just can't go around zappin' people an' turnin' 'em into whatever pleases ya!"

"Heh…." The man chuckled to himself "Even if you're outward appearance has changed, you're still the hot-headed wrecker you have ALWAYS been, RALPH."

Roxie dropped the man, reminding herself not to allow him to play with her. Urgh, Demitri; he had ALWAYS been like this since the moment the game was plugged in and he wasn't letting up now.

"I-I don't know…." Stammered Felicia "I-I guess…."

Roxie peered down at her partner, noticing the look of uncertainty on her face.

"Felix?"

"I guess…I guess it wasn't THAT bad."

Roxie nearly fell to the floor at the confession; Felix didn't think being swapped was THAT BAD?

"It was still a rotten trick on your part, sir…." The little repairwoman continued "But….but I guess in the end….I still felt the same inside."

It was beginning, Roxie could see it in Felicia's eyes.

"I guess it was odd ta get a few looks from some of tha guys who didn't recognize me but….through it all, I still felt tha same love for everyone I hold dear."

"Felix! AURGH!" Roxie moaned, putting her face in her hands "This is no time ta get sappy."

"Oh, r-right…" Felicia replied, adjusting her hat as she looked back up at Demitri "Alright, funny as I am sure it was ta ya Mister, we need ta be turned back."

"Fine, fine, fine…." Yawned the vampire "But where is your wife again?"

"Does she hafta be here in order for ya ta turn her back?"

"No, I can do it from a distance but I still find it rather odd that after all of this, she is nowhere near you."

Demitri wouldn't have had to look far for Calhoun had he been out I the station at the moment for the little Nicelander was tearing through the crowds as fast as she could, moving as best as she could to avoid being SMASHED underfoot.

"G-Geeze!" she gasped, nearly missing someone's leg "I-It's like a forest of trees here! I can barely make it through!"

Calhoun had spent very little time as a Nicelander outside the game so it was no wonder she was having so much trouble navigating herself through the mass of larger characters but either way, she had to get to Dark Stalkers, she had to turn back.

She had no idea that her troops, let alone her NPCs, were having such troubles and that they honestly felt they could not and had no right to talk to her about their problems. Everyone in the arcade had gone on and on about how important it was to help others but it seemed that there were some groups in the vast place that were still not receiving the help they needed or were still afraid to even ask for it.

It hurt Calhoun a little; it hurt her to know that the people she worked so closely with considered her to be an obstacle to talk to, as if they were afraid she would not listen or understand.

"No, no! I gotta tell tha guys tha truth!" she said to herself "I HAFTA tell 'em what I will do for OOOF!"

*BOOM!*

And then came the sudden stop

Calhoun fell hard on her rump, luckily NOT her back, as she ran into something sturdy.

"Ugh, nice…" she moaned, rubbing her sore forehead "Here I am, top-class Cybug hunter and I can't even keep my eyes open when I need to!"

"Watch it, ya lil shrimp!"

The marine-turned-Nicelander shuddered at the voice, the person sounding MUCH bigger now that she was much SMALLER. She looked up, seeing a group of large characters hovering over her, none looking at all pleased to see her. She could smell trouble brewing already but her inner soldier kept her from cowering down. In fact she sprung to her feet, hands resting on her sides.

"Excuse me, but what was that?" the Nicelander said, a sharp glint in her eye. The larger character, some sort of fighter or something similar, scowled deeply at the miniature munchkin.

"I said WATCH IT, you lil shrimp. Did it require that I repeat it for you?"

"Hmmph, well sorry then." Calhoun snapped back "I guess we all have place we need ta be but there's no need ta get so ROUGH, less you're askin' for trouble!"

The fighter looked shocked that Calhoun had talked to them in such a manner, a few of their buddies reflecting the sentiments.

"Whoa! Hold on there, partner!" said the fighter "Are you REALLY going to use that tone with me? REALLY?!"

Calhoun refused to back down, a little too angry for her own good with the various things that were on her mind.

"I don't have time for this!" she shot back, trying to move her way through the crowd "This is an EMERGENCY an' there is no time for fi-!"

"GET BACK HERE!"

A hand shot out and took Calhoun by the back of her dress, the little Nicelander squeaking in shock as her feet left the ground. The fighter was not looking at all pleased as he held her in her grips, frowning horribly.

"A Nicelander…" they scoffed "I should have known…."

Kicking her little legs, Calhoun attempted to wriggle herself free but the character held her too tight and too far for her to reaching anything.

"Eungh! Ya shudda known WHAT?"

The group of characters began to surround each other, forming the perfect inescapable circle around Calhoun before she was dropped in the middle of it.

"Of all the little NPCs in this place, why do YOU guys always have to cause the most trouble?"

It was obvious by now to Calhoun what EXACTLY she had fallen into. She knew of the trouble that NPCs could get into should they cross a larger character when they were in a bad mood but she never expected to feel it firsthand.

 _Granted, she never expected to feel what it was like to be a NICELANDER firsthand…_

The former marine got back on her feet but she was of course surrounded, unable to escape from anywhere as the legs of the characters served as perfect jail bars to hold her in. She looked up, eyes looking at her from every angle but she had to keep her wits up, she had to face these threats like the soldier she was.

The problem with that?

They had no idea that they were facing off against a soldier.

To them, Calhoun was just another NPC and they were going to treat her as such. She growled, balling her tiny hands into fist.

"Guys, listen! I don't have time to play ball or whatever ya wanna do with this! I hafta get ta Dark Stalkers!"

"An' what would a little useless runt like you need in Dark Stalkers?" asked one of the characters.

"That is none of your BUSINESS!" Calhoun shot back, pointing at them "Why would ya ask somethin' like that ANYWAY?!"

"Simple. Because we know that the crew in Dark Stalkers have better things ta do than hang out with Nicelanders." Said another voice, pushing Calhoun hard. Again, Nicelander anatomy went against the woman and she found herself teetering clumsily on her feet. She caught herself before she went down on her back and got back up, smacking the hand away.

"HANDS OFF!" she barked "Ya guys are pushin' your luck treatin' people like this!"

"Oh, what are ya gonna do, pie-baker?" jeered another "Go an' sob to your HERO? Typical behavior of the wussiest NPCs in the arcade."

Of course, Felix.

Everyone knew he would do ANYTHING to help the Nicelanders.

Right now however, Calhoun felt she didn't need her husband's power to get her out of this mess. She stood her ground even if the characters around her were nearly three times her size.

" _Typical, eh?"_ she huffed, brushing her bangs out of her eyes "Say that again, boy. Ya won't be smilin' like that for long!"

The laughter continued around Calhoun, the group finding it odd that this time around a Nicelander they had caught wasn't going down as easily as they were used to. Most of the time, they would round up one of the shyer ones but this one? This one seemed to be a little feistier than normal.

This time, the little unfamiliar blond wasn't given them the satisfaction of watching her crumble. She might have been small but she kept her feet planted on the ground and her head up. She wasn't going down anytime soon.

"Oh, didn't know that there were some of ya guys that could PRETEND to be brave!" laughed one of the characters "Felix never told us about YOU!"

"Don't bring Felix into this…." Calhoun said, the anger clear to hear in her voice "Tha last thing he needs ta deal with at tha moment is a buncha chuckle-heads like ya causin' ruckus! Now, can I PLEASE get through? I'm sure ya have better things ta do than mess around with me."

"An' don't ya have better things ta do than wander around this place an' goin' ta games that don't want ya?" spat the leader of the group.

"Who says I'm not welcomed?" Calhoun frowned, trying to suppress her voice as best as she could "Not everyone in this arcade has their heads shoved up their butts like you!"

Yeah, this WAS a feisty little Nicelander!

"Look here who's talking like they actually contribute something!" cackled the voice "I mean, aside from those worthless pies ya bake."

Her face was turned away but the blush was starting to flash on her face as her anger rose. Calhoun had spent enough time trying and failing, trying and failing, and trying again to understand that NICELANDER PIE wasn't 'worthless'.

"Don't have time for this…." The woman said again, strutting rather arrogantly towards a little break in the group's hold "Think of some better insults boys, because I need ta deal with somethin' else."

"Deal? Deal with WHAT? What do ya fat blobs DO that require you to deal with ANYTHING?"

Fat Blobs?

Calhoun had heard the insult being flung towards the others, just never towards HER. She looked down at herself, remembering WHY.

"Guys, look! This is STUPID!" the little Nicelander shot back "You're gonna tell me you're gonna get this worked up because I ACCIDENTALLY walked inta ya?! REALLY?! Why get this upset over a MISTAKE?!"

"Because ya lil bytes still don't recognize your place…." Hissed the leader of the group, clearly still very angry with the Nicelander.

"Place?! What PLACE?!" Calhoun shot back, standing on her tip-toes "Sorry, I don't understand tha language of bullies an' all this placement junk!"

"Then maybe I should make it easier for you to understand…." The character growled, pulling Calhoun back once more "You act so sure of yourself, so care-free and innocent. But after what you did to Ralph? Do you think we're gonna let you and the rest of those stupid cowardly Nicelanders get off scott-free?"

"What does THAT-?! What does _**RALPH**_ have to do with any of this?!" the Nicelander shouted, her patients wearing very thin "I don't recall him bein' in any of this when I RAN INTO YA BY ACCIDENT?! Should I remind ya of that lil tidbit?!"

"Sorry shorty but tryin' ta play angry with us won't save ya this time!"

Calhoun got into a fighting position, a few of the others snickering at the tiny chubby "Oh-ho-HO! You're gonna need a LOTTA savin' once someone catches wind of all this bullyin' junk!"

"Aw cut it! Do ya think we're scared of some pity-party no-bullyin' junk put up by some Hero's Duty lady?! DO YA?!"

Hero's Duty Lady?

Her?

This was starting to twist more and more around Calhoun, the woman realizing that the bunch were now complaining about the very rules that SHE had tried to enforce around the arcade to stop characters from attacking each other. She didn't know WHAT was worse in the matter at the moment, the fact that the group were going out of their way to excuse their own actions against her or that they wouldn't have listened to her in her normal form ANYWAY, possibly finding some way to slip around her words to bully anyone in the shadows.

This could not have been happening. This could not be going this way.

Calhoun wanted to stand up against the bullying that had happened against Ralph and Vanellope in the past and she thought that by making such a pledge, she would protect EVERYONE but she was starting to see that her WORDS did not mean a thing to some people, that they were not scared of facing off against her even as a soldier if it meant they could get away with treating people any way they wanted.

"Ya know, I don't care what ya think tha Nicelanders did in tha past…." Calhoun growled "Ya can't treat people like this, no matter who they are! Ya have no right!"

"We have EVERY right when to tell you lil bugs!" the larger character shouted back, trying their best to send Calhoun down but she continued to refuse "Ya wanna do somethin' to help everyone here?! Then back off and keep your butts back in your game where you belong! People with ACTUAL things to do don't need to be associated with NPCs that don't contribute anything to ANYONE!"

The little form of Calhoun wanted nothing more than to slug the character the face, finding it harder and harder to keep her composure with the way they were threatening her. Even if they were talking a hard game with her, she had a feeling that they wouldn't DARE say such things to her in her normal form but seeing as she was in a form where only those closest recognized her, the anger she was facing was something she had never expected to face in her life.

At least, not at the size she was in.

Right now, they did not see Calhoun as a soldier or as a character on footing with themselves. They saw her as a useless, pesky NPC and they were determined to show her where exactly NPCs stood in their line of respect.

Calhoun couldn't let these guys push her around, whatever her form was. She remained strong on her feet and looked them right into the eye.

"Listen here, bucko. I can tell ya have some 'issues' that could use some ironin' out but lemme tell ya this. If you DARE try touchin' me again like that, or anyone else for that matter, you'll see what this 'lil NPC' can do!"

"Lady, I would LOVE ta see ya try." the character laughed, placing a hand roughly on Calhoun's shoulder but she swatted him away.

"I said don't touch me!" the faux-Nicelander cried out "Don't TOUCH me, don't TALK TO ME like I'm nothin'!"

"But you _**ARE**_ nothin'."

"Shut up!"

The character placed a hand on Calhoun's head and shoved her down, enjoying watching her roll upon her bottom "As if your voice matters in all of this, chubster."

The little Nicelander was BURNING red now, rolling to her side and attempting to charge the character but he managed to get to her first, snatching her off the ground by the back of her dress.

"Ah, ah, AAAH! Wouldn't want things to get messy would we?"

"STOP!"

The group turned, looking down in shock to see another small figure before them. Calhoun paled, her eyes widening.

"M-Ms. Mary?!"

Ms. Mary indeed.

The little woman ran up to the group, arms up in an attempt to help the dangling Nicelander.

"Young lady!" cried the Nicelander in pink "Are you okay?!"

"Ugh, I'm FINE!" Calhoun growled, freeing herself from the clutches of the group. She dusted herself off tartly, giving the lot a snide look "Well, I was fine until SOMEONE decided to start some mess in tha halls."

"Young lady, this isn't the way to go about such things." Mary sighed, feeling a might frustrated "If you needed help with anything, you could have just come to me with-!"

"Against these guys?" Calhoun laughed "Why? They're just a lil LOUD. There's no need ta get your hair in a twist over THESE guys."

"Hey, ya lil runt!" the leader of the group said "Don't act like we're not here!"

"That is ENOUGH!" Mary said as she got in-between both groups "Now, I do not know what fueled this drama but both of you! DROP IT! The last thing we need to happen right now is a needless skirmish for EVERYONE to-!"

"Oh, don't you start too!" moaned the larger character "Lil Miss Muffett was enough to deal with! We don't need to hear the yabberin' of ANOTHER Nicelander!"

"I'm just trying to keep everyone from doing something they're going to regret!" Mary replied "You can understand that, right?"

"Oh, I understand." The larger character nodded but their look turned sour "I understand that there are two characters who are gonna get a nice view of the arcade once I toss 'em!"

That was the final straw for Calhoun, the woman reaching up and grabbing the character by their collar.

"Let's try that again, bucko. You're gonna try doin' WHAT?!"

"LET GO OF ME!"

* * *

"So you'll do it?" grumbled Roxie "You're gonna turn us back?"

"Sure, sure. Whatever…." Waved Demitri, growing tired of the Wrecker's griping "So long as it gets you out of my hair."

"DIMMY!" Lilith fumed, walking over to the larger vampire and pinching his nose "You self-centered, bat-head! Just turn 'em back! They've suffered long enough due to your 'prank'!"

"I wouldn't call it SUFFERIN'…." Said Felicia softly "But it would make me happy ta know that Tammy is back ta normal. I know she's said it's been FUN but she needs ta get back ta her Hero's Duty size, okay?"

Demitri smiled. He was playing coy enough but Felicia could tell that after everything that had happened, he had never meant any real harm to the heroes. He lounged back in his chair, swirling a glass of wine in one hand (or for all that Roxie knew it was blood) while he lifted the other.

"What do we say?"

"Turn us back of I'm sittin' on ya?" huffed Roxie.

"I will pretend that is YOU'RE way of saying 'Please, turn us back oh prince of darkness.'"

And with one spark and a poof….

* * *

"Don't think I'm gonna let ya get away with this, ya bully!" growled the blond Nicelander, getting into position to fight but even with her knowledge of combat putting them to use in her Nicelander form still presented a problem, made even worse when her combatant began using this to their advantage.

The former marine threw a punch but the large character dodged it, reaching down and picking Calhoun up by the back end of her skirt which resulted in the little woman crying out in a way that even her own soldiers had never heard before.

"Tamera!" Mary called out, finally having enough of the rough-housing "You better put her down now, or I'll-AUURGH!"

And then Mary was picked up, Calhoun forgetting about her own embarrassment as she reached out towards the Nicelander.

"Stop! STOP! Don't drag her into this, she has nothin' ta do with it!"

"Me?!" shouted Mary "What about YOU?! I can take care of myself against these bullies!"

"But Ms. Mary-!"

"You can cry and whine all ya want!" said the character "But until you finally get the clues through those thick skulls of yours, we're not lettin' up! Not till you an' every other pathetic NPC remembers where their place is!"

Calhoun swung her fist in the air, missing every time "Urgh, there is no 'PLACE', ya bully! It doesn't matter WHO I am! I can go anywhere I want! Enjoy tha arcade anyway I-!"

"Oh drop the tone with us! Blah-blah-blah, I'm an NPC! I'm too weak to defend myself even though I get in the way of everything! I need to compensate because the developer didn't give a crap about me!"

The little marine was BURNING from the very insides of her core, completely astonished that people could behave in such a manner and get away with it.

"You're diggin' your own grave, MISTER." The woman snarled "Keep talkin', just KEEP. TALKIN'!"

"Maybe it would be better if we returned you little dust mites back to your own game? Ya know, ta keep you safe while the REAL characters do their business!"

"I mean it! STOP!"

"MAKE ME, you lil pie-muncher!"

"Young lady, don't fight him!"

"But he-!"

"STAY IN YOUR PLACE!"

"I CAN HANDLE THIS!"

"NO, DON'T-!"

And then….

 _ ***POOF!*** _

An explosion of smoke!

A bright flash!

"AAH!"

Surging energy!

"What was that?!"

 _And..._

 _ ***SHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIP!***_

Ripping clothes?

All who were near coughed at the smoke but it quickly died down, leaving those in the middle to wonder just what had happened. The leader of the ruckus knelt down on the floor, his eyes still stinging and his throat a little scratchy but it seemed that no real harm had been done.

"Paf! W-What was th-!?"

A strong pair of hands gripped the man by his collar, lifting him off the ground.

" _ **UP!"**_

" _ **GWARK!"**_

The smoke finally gone, the character got an eyeful of just WHO had picked him up and it wasn't a Nicelander…

Mary rolled over on her side, rubbing her eyes. That was when she saw the figure as well.

"Calhoun?!"

Yes, Sargent Tamera Jean Calhoun.

She had returned!

And….her clothes were in shreds.

The character was still in her grips, a few on-lookers gawking but the Marine didn't care.

At least not that much.

She looked down, taking another glance at her ill-fitting dress.

At least it covered up what was important, anyway.

She sighed but her grip remained strong "Now….what was all of that 'bout puttin' me in my place, LIL MAN?"

Their feet dangled above the floor, hands holding tight to the marine's arm "U-Uh! W-what I meant about that was-!"

"Ya were gonna show Ms. Mary an' MYSELF where we should go?" the woman scowled deeply "Ya were gonna teach us some lessons?"

The figure's face paled as they looked into Calhoun's eyes, the fire burning clear within it. There was no way they could talk their way out of this one.

Just as Calhoun had thought; the moment she returns to normal, their lips were sealed.

"Such brave young fellows, aren't we?"

"I-Is this some kind of JOKE?!" the character gasped "Because if it is-!"

"Ms. Mary?"

The little Nicelander got to her feet, standing cautiously before the marine "Y-Yes, young lady?"

"How about ya join me for a lil 'TALK' in Hero's Duty?" said the larger woman, her grip tightening around the character as she carried them off "I need to pick up some clothes anyway…."


	8. Finale

Finale

"So, you're not upset?" said Benny as he was being lead down the halls of the shooter by his Sargent, the woman smiling.

"Of course not!" chuckled Calhoun, putting her hand on the young NPC's shoulder "I just wish ya would have come ta me earlier about all'a this! I could have helped ya, Benny!"

"I see that now." The young man said, a bit of shame ringing clear in his voice "It's just….I didn't know if you would view me the same if I told you I was so worried about sticking to my job. I know it's not as important as yours but-!"

"No, no. Benny stop."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Benny, you're an NPC. But that doesn't mean for a moment that your job is NOT important in this game! I count on ya as I do EVERYONE in this game an' I can not tell ya how proud I am that such a kid like yourself wakes up every day ready ta kick some Cybug butt!"

The young marine began to smile, his confidence rising with such words.

"Gee…th-thanks. Sorry to get all mushy on you Sarge but…."

"Yes?"

"I…I feel better now." The young man smiled "I'm proud to serve under your leadership."

Calhoun smiled warmly but she turned the marine around and shoved him into the corridor "Daaaah, take tha mush an' use it ta choke some Cybugs! Them things are WAITIN' for ya!"

Returning firmly to his feet, Benny looked back with a powerful smile "Shall I get the BIG guns for this fight?"

Calhoun waved a hand "Take your pick an' enjoy!"

And the boy was off, blood pumping and his trigger finger just WAITING to blast some bugs in the face. Once she saw that her partner was taken care of, Calhoun readied herself to return to Niceland for another evening.

"Hmm, wonder how Felix is doin' tonight." She smiled, already thinking about snuggling her husband in her arms "I think he an' tha others should be takin' it easy tonight."

As Calhoun made her way through the station, a familiar figure caught her eye.

Demitri?

"Hey, ya ol' bugger!" the woman called. The vampire didn't even flinch, Morrigan and Lilith on either side of him.

"Yeeees?"

"Gonna warn ya." The space Marine said, pointing right at the man "Don't try Blissin' people like ya have. Not everyone is gonna be as lax about it as WE were."

The man chortled, extending a hand towards Calhoun "But young lady! There are certain things I can not help but do! It would be like telling you NOT to run around the arcade with a giant pistol in hand!"

"I do NOT run around with-!" the woman stopped herself, seeing the all-too-hated grin the man was giving her "Haha, just don't cause any trouble tonight. We have ENOUGH people being punished for things."

"Really?" asked Lilith "Don't mean to be nosy but what happened?"

The marine gave the little demon a playful grin "Oooh, ya REALLY wanna know?"

* * *

"How many pies have they done so far?" Ralph smiled, both he and Felix sitting in the atrium as they watched a few characters going in and out of the community kitchen.

"I'd say they're up to about six hundred now." Said Felix "About one thousand more ta go an' they should be done?"

"Wasn't it about….NINE THOUSAND?" the Wrecker laughed "Shall I asks your HONEY-GLOW for tha correct number?"

"C'mon man, this is embarrasin' enough!" shouted the character, the SAME character who had accosted Calhoun and Mary in the station the previous night "Why should we be stuck doing NPC work?! This is stupid?"

"Stupid?"

All eyes went to the door as a tall figure approached, hands on her hips and a look that said she was none too happy about the comment she had just heard.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I did I not warn ya fellas 'bout talkin' in such a manner?" said Calhoun "After all, I'd think doin' somethin' like THIS is gettin' off easy. I mean, there are worse punishments ya could have gotten for handlin' characters in such tha manner as ya did with MEEEEE."

Calhoun leaned in closer, pulling out one of her loaded guns.

"MUCH worse."

"Okay, okay! I get it!" cried the character, signaling to their troupes to bake faster "J-Just let us get this work done!"

"Are they givin' ya any trouble?" asked the woman coyly as she sat next to her husband "I could hand ya off a gun if they are?"

"Tammy, they're fine." The repairman smiled, smooching his wife on the cheek "I just hafta ask."

"Yes?"

"Why in tha arcade are ya makin' 'em bake PIES of all things? I mean, ya did make up a list of punishments people caught bullyin' would get but this? Why tha change of heart?"

Calhoun was about to answer when she caught a glance of two figures walking down the hall, one dressed in blue. The other in pink.

"Gene, I told you. Don't worry about me so much." Said Mary, trying to get the fussing Gene off of her.

"Sorry, but I just can't!" the man said, taking Mary's hands into his own and holding them warmly "It seems like everywhere we turn, another catastrophe erupts!"

"Honey, what happened in the station? It wasn't as bad as you think, I promise!"

"But-!"

Mary put her hands on Gene's head, their words fading as she lead the man away, Calhoun watching them disappear within the halls of the apartment. She couldn't help but smile, remembering the way the Nicelanders had helped her get comfortable in her new, albeit temporary skin but most of all how Mary had helped her adjust to the work flow that the Nicelander had done day in and day out, for thirty years.

It may have looked simple from the outside but from her own experiences, the marine had worked first hand alongside the group. The tasks were not so simple, were not so cut-and-paste but through it all, the little group managed to enjoy themselves and as she felt more open towards them, Calhoun had begun to feel the same.

It might not have been shooting or kicking various aliens in the face but Calhoun began to see why the Nicelanders enjoyed their work, enjoy their home, enjoyed their friendship with each other.

And she also began to see why it hurt them when someone tried to remind them they were JUST NPCs.

It was an odd thing to go through, to see life in the arcade through the eyes of an NPC, especially one so small and round. The entire experience opened up her eyes to just how they worked but also their own problems that were still happening in the arcade, thing she could not believe were still happening under her own nose.

"Babe?"

Felix looked up at his wife "Yeah?"

"I have my REASONS as ta why I think pie-bakin' would do guys like this a world of good." She smiled "Ya might think it's silly but there are reasons."

Wrecker and repairman exchanged looks, not quite clear on what the Marine had meant but from the smile on her face Calhoun was getting some satisfaction in knowing something was being done. Maybe cleaning up Litwak's wasn't going to be as easy as she first thought but if she could do something, anything to help, she wanted to do it.

"Hey Felix?"

"Yes, Tammy?"

"Do ya think Mary n' Gene would mind if I brought some more of my boys ta tha NPC meetin'?"


End file.
